MR BRYAN Gould yesterday signalled that he may challenge Mrs Margaret

Beckett for the Labour deputy leadership next summer if the party did

not ''become more dynamic''.

The man who lost to Mr John Smith for the party's top post a year ago

and later quit the Shadow Cabinet over Europe on the eve of the party

conference, was speaking after newspaper reports that colleagues were

encouraging him to stand.

There is no question of him making a challenge this year because

nominations have closed.

Mr Gould, 54, said: ''I have no current plans to challenge for either

the leadership or deputy leadership.

''But it is certainly

the case that there is some general and perhaps growing unhappiness

with the party's current attitude and strategy.

''That unhappiness might become more focused by this time next year,

in which case the possibility of a challenge could not be ruled out.''

Mr Gould, who represents the Essex seat of Dagenham, added: ''We have

to do more to persuade people to vote Labour rather than sitting back

and waiting for the Tories to lose support.''

He warned that if Labour did not do more ''people in the south will

switch to the Liberal Democrats rather than to Labour''.

Mrs Beckett is believed to be under fire because her role includes

leading the party's campaigning, which is said not to be vigorous

enough.

General feelings of a drift to the right and lack of firm enough

leadership are also believed to be behind the rumours.

Mr Peter Hain (Neath), secretary of the left-wing Tribune group of

Labour MPs, said he had not been one of those urging Mr Gould to stand.

But he added: ''The party needs a change of direction and attitude to

win the next election.