A former Special Forces soldier is rounding up supporters for a leadership bid against Ed Miliband if he does not win the General Election , The Mail on Sunday has learned . Dan Jarvis , who entered the Commons only four years ago , has told potential supporters he is prepared to run if Mr Miliband fails to dislodge David Cameron from No 10 . One senior Labour MP , who met privately with Mr Jarvis in the Commons a month ago , said : ‘ Dan wants to go for it if the result is disappointing . ' Ex-Special Forces : Dan Jarvis has told potential supporters he is prepared to run if Mr Miliband fails to dislodge David Cameron from No 10 . He added : ' I thought about it for a couple of weeks , then rang him to say he could count on my backing. ’ The news has emerged as the Labour leader faces the embarrassment of two senior party figures openly debating his failings during a broadcast interview this week . With polling day barely six weeks away , Rochdale Labour MP Simon Danczuk will discuss Mr Miliband ’ s lack of voter appeal with party peer Lord Glasman in an interview broadcast on LBC on Monday evening . During the debate , Mr Danczuk asks : ‘ What has Nigel Farage got that Ed Miliband doesn ’ t ? ’ The peer – a former adviser to Mr Miliband – responds : ‘ He has got the ability to sit in the pub and be at his complete ease , which is a very magical gift . Ed is… from the seminar room. ’ Mr Jarvis , the Shadow Justice Minister , is rapidly gaining support on the party back benches as a ‘ clean skin ’ candidate who , unlike many rivals , was not an adviser or Minister during the Blair or Brown governments and is ‘ untainted ’ by association with Mr Miliband ’ s inner circle . Some MPs also argue that the 42-year-old ex-Para ’ s military career – a rarity in Labour ranks – would be more appealing to voters than Mr Miliband ’ s background as a policy adviser . In any leadership contest , Mr Jarvis is likely to face the more experienced figures of health spokesman Andy Burnham , Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper , Shadow Business Secretary Chuka Umunna , education spokesman Tristram Hunt and ambitious frontbencher Liz Kendall . Ed Miliband faces the embarrassment of two senior party figures openly debating his failings during a broadcast interview this week . The backer added : ‘ Dan has a clear view of his own strengths , and an even clearer view of his rivals ’ weaknesses. ’ Mr Jarvis became the first person since the Second World War to resign a military commission to contest a by-election . He successfully stood in Barnsley Central in 2011 , shortly after his wife Caroline died of cancer , aged 43 , leaving him to care for their two children . Mr Jarvis has since remarried and now has a third child . The former major spent 15 years in the Paras , and was awarded an MBE after serving in Afghanistan , Iraq , Kosovo and Sierra Leone . In keeping with his action-man image , it was reported last week he had pacified a drunken thug wielding a bottle who demanded his wallet . Under party rules , if Mr Miliband fails to win power in May but doesn ’ t resign , a leadership election can be triggered only if 20 per cent of the party ’ s MPs nominate a specific challenger . The winner , elected by MPs , MEPs , party members and unions , would be announced at the party ’ s next annual conference .
Dan Jarvis is gathering supporters for a leadership bid against Ed Miliband . He is prepared to run if Mr Miliband fails to dislodge PM David Cameron . Two senior party figures will debate the Special Forces leader 's failings this week . Some argue that the ex-Para ’ s military career would be more appealing .