Gillard calls leadership ballot

Feb 23 2012

Australian prime minister Julia Gillard has announced that her party will vote next week on its leadership.

Gillard said she will abandon her leadership ambitions if her Labour Party political colleagues choose former foreign minister Kevin Rudd over her in the ballot on Monday.

She called on Rudd to abandon his ambitions if he loses.

Gillard told reporters: "We need a leadership ballot to settle this question once and for all."