Whatever the divisions, some hopeful Labour souls insist that, if Mr Brown can fight his way out of a bleak predicament once, he can do it again.

ECONOMIST: Labour's predicament

"After, we believe, some of the officers were shot, one of them managed to fight his way with the suspect -- fight his way, wrestle, fight all the way out the doorway until he was shot and died of a gunshot wound, " he told reporters.

CNN: Manhunt on for suspect in cop shootings