Ken Livingstone told the BBC yesterday that he would accept any opportunity to renew his membership of the Labour Party.

"If I am offered I will take it," he said.

"Both the prime minister and myself recognise we are not going to change each other; we have learned to accept each other.

"If I am the Labour candidate next summer it doesn't mean I am supporting the war against Iraq, it won't mean he supports everything I say about President Bush."