Gordon Brown's push to be Prime Minister won a majority backing from Labour councillors across the county as he visited Oxford yesterday.

On the day the Chancellor visited the Cowley car plant to launch the new generation Mini, the Oxford Mail asked the party's councillors if they wanted to see Mr Brown succeed Tony Blair.

Only one councillor, Cherwell district's John Stansby, spoke out against Mr Brown - backing Home Secretary John Reid.

Eighteen councillors backed Mr Brown as the next Labour leader, while 11 others were either undecided or wanted to see a proper leadership contest first. The remaining six Labour councillors in the county could not be contacted.

Mr Brown's backing was most solid in the city council ranks: 11 were behind him and four were undecided.

City council Labour group deputy leader Ed Turner said: "I support Gordon Brown. He has been a fantastic Chancellor and so much of what has been achieved has been down to him. I think he will do a stomping job in the next two years and then win us the next election."

The majority of the councillors we spoke to wanted Mr Blair to quit Downing Street immediately.

Labour's Oxford East MP Andrew Smith, who was work and pensions secretary under Tony Blair, has not ruled out a return to the frontbenches should his friend Mr Brown take control next year.

Only four city councillors - 'old Labour' socialist John Tanner, Dee Sinclair, Rae Humberstone and Gill Sanders - said they had not made their minds up.

Mr Tanner said: "Gordon Brown is a great bloke, but I have been disappointed about what he has said about his liking for a renewal for Trident missiles."

Saj Malik, who earlier this year defected to Labour from the Liberal Democrats, said: "We haven't seen the candidates yet, but would he make a good Prime Minister? Yes - and I would support him."

But Cherwell district councillor John Stansby: "I would support John Reid. I think Gordon Brown has lost it. I think he is a bit of a coward and should have challenged Blair a long time ago."

No leadership election has yet been called, but likely contenders have emerged in the shape of education secretary Alan Johnson, Mr Reid and socialist outsider John McDonnell.