GORDON Brown will be gone as Labour leader by Autumn - and the race has already begun to succeed him.

Here are some of the leading runners:

David Miliband.

Age: 44.

Job: Foreign Secretary.

Formerly head of the Downing Street policy unit, Mr Miliband was appointed foreign secretary in July 2007.

He toyed with the idea of standing against Brown when Tony Blair stepped down and came closer still to mounting a coup in 2008 - although both times he opted to avoid confrontation.

These decisions have left him with a reputation as someone who "bottles" the big decisions - something that has dogged Gordon Brown ever since the election that wasn't in 2007.

He also boobed when he allowed himself to be photographed holding a banana with a goofy grin on his face at the height of speculation that he was poised to run against Brown.

Alan Johnson.

Age: 59.

Job: Home Secretary.

Narrowly beaten in the contest to be Gordon Brown's deputy in 2007, Alan Johnson has positioned himself closely to the Lib-Dems (making his support of voting reform known well before last Thursday).

He would, therefore, be ideal if Labour manages to patch together a coaltion deal with Nick Clegg.

A former policeman, he has held the education and health briefs and is currently home secretary.

Seen as a Blairite and a keen moderniser.

Harriet Harman.

Age: 59.

Job: Labour deputy leader.

A battle-hardened veteran MP, Harriet Harman entered the Commons way back in 1982, a year before Gordon Brown.

She left the cabinet in 1998, after just a year as social security secretary, but has since gone on to become one of the Labour Party's most influencial figures.

Alistair Darling.

Age: 56.

Job: Chancellor.

Alistair Darling has emerged from Gordon Brown's shadow during the financial crisis and is widely admired for his calm demeanour and common sense attitude.

The quiet Edinburgh lawyer even had the guts to stand up to Gordon Brown when he said the "forces of hell" had been unleashed on him for predicting a bad recession - against the PM's explicit orders.

Formerly transport and work and pensions secretary.

Ed Balls.

Age: 43.

Job: Schools secretary.

Gordon Brown's closest ally and the man many believe the PM would like to see succeed him.

Spent ten years as Gordon Brown's economic adviser at the Treasury.

Has a reputation as a political bruiser and likely to be seen by some as "more of the same" after Gordon.

Ed Miliband.

Age: 40.

Job: Energy Secretary.

David's younger brother and a long-standing member of the Brown inner circle.

Joined the cabinet just two years after becoming an MP but has a lower profile than his brother.

May feel a leadership challenge is too early and leave the way clear for his brother.

Andy Burnham.

Age: 40.

Job: health Secretary.

Joined the Cabinet when Gordon Brown became PM. Has a nine year career as an MP and worked as a researcher for Tessa Jowell in the mid-1990s.