Following Gordon Brown's announcement in Downing Street of his resignation as Leader of the Labour Party prior to tendering his resignation as Prime Minister to Her Majesty the Queen, Harriet Harman becomes leader pro-tem.
The Labour Party Rule Book Clause 4. 2. B. iv says:
When the party is in opposition and the party leader, for whatever reason becomes permanently unavailable, the deputy leader shall automatically become party leader on a pro-tem basis. The NEC shall decide whether to hold an immediate ballot as provided under E above or to elect a new leader at the next annual session of party conference.
And opposition is where we are as expected here.
The timetable decision for the election of a new leader will be taken next week. However, there are scurrilous suggestions that the timetable should be brought forward together with the planned National Executive Committee and National Policy Forum elections in the constituency section. Expect strong resistence from this quarter.