"You won't get any distinction" between the various disciplines, said Martin Salter, a Labor legislator who acts as the government's spokesman on angling.

Word of his presence produced an outcry in newspapers that generally support of Labor, as well as among Labor legislators.

Colette Avital, a Labor legislator, said she was afraid of what might happen if no agreement was reached.

It is there, for instance, that Labor legislators regularly call, "Taxi!

About 90 Labor legislators - a quarter of Labor's lawmakers - rebelled against the government's plan to renew the submarine program.

Mr. Blair won that vote by 409 to 161, with a rebellion of around 85 Labor legislators.

Dissident Labor legislators demanded a timetable for Mr. Blair to go.

In a final vote, 139 of the 410 Labor legislators voted against the government.

"The public," said one Labor legislator, Chris Mullin, "is not clamoring for more elected politicians."

The Labor legislators demanded that Neil Kinnock, their party's leader, distance himself from the Government.