The electoral hopes of Australia's left-leaning opposition Labor Party reached a new low yesterday, after the resignation of embattled leader Simon Crean.
Mr Crean was forced out after two years in the top job when he lost the support of key Labor power brokers, who were unhappy with his lacklustre performance against the conservative government of Prime Minister John Howard.
The latest round of infighting leaves Labor looking even less likely to mount a credible challenge to Mr Howard at the general election expected to be held next year.
If Labor loses, it will be their fourth consecutive defeat at the polls.
Announcing his resignation after 'a pretty sleepless night', Mr Crean said: 'It became obvious to me I no longer had the confidence of ... the majority of my shadow ministry. I propose to relinquish the position in the best interests of the great party we all serve.'
A new leader is expected to be chosen at a meeting on Tuesday. Likely candidates including pugnacious frontbencher Mark Latham, 42, foreign affairs spokesman and fluent Mandarin speaker Kevin Rudd, 46, and former party leader Kim Beazley, 54.