The battle to become the next Commons Speaker is hotting up after former Cabinet minister Margaret Beckett threw her hat into the ring.
Mrs Beckett, who was sacked from the Government in Prime Minister Gordon Brown's reshuffle last week, said she wanted to help Parliament face its "very considerable problems".
"I will be sending a letter round to MPs asking for support," she added.
The surprise move by a political heavyweight comes with less than a fortnight to go before the crunch Commons vote to decide Michael Martin's successor.
Mrs Beckett said: "I think at the moment we have got very considerable problems in Parliament. We have got to make changes.
"After the next election, if we have a more finely balanced chamber than we have had in the recent past, it will be a very different ball game. I hope I can help us deal with that."
Asked if controversy over her expenses claims for hanging baskets and pot plants would damage her prospects, the recently-departed housing minister replied: "Only time will tell."
Ex-minister Parmjit Dhanda and Tory Sir Michael Lord also added their names to those vying for the powerful post.
Mrs Beckett was quickly installed as the 4/1 second favourite by bookies behinds left-leaning Conservative backbencher John Bercow. Other front-runners to take the chair include Labour's Frank Field, Tory Sir George Young and Liberal Democrat Sir Alan Beith.
A free vote will be held on June 22 to decide the winner.
