Labor hopelessly split. Crean in talks with Rudd The Liberals couldn't be happier about this stalemate: Rudd backer and former Labor powerbroker Graham Richardson claimed Mr Rudd had 49 votes, Ms Gillard 44 and that nine were undecided... An analysis by The Australian Financial Review based on exhaustive canvassing of the caucus and number crunchers on both sides estimated Mr Rudd's support at between 37 and 46 votes. A caucus majority is 52 votes. Simon Benson reports a defection from the Gillard camp: Another Gillard supporter lashes out: Queensland backbencher Graham Perrett said this morning it was the job of the chief whip to ""have the Prime Minister's back"" and given his comments yesterday he and other Kevin Rudd supporters should ""resign or resign"" come 5pm today. ""If he can't be loyal to the Prime Minister he needs to resign,"" Mr Perrett said. Mr Fitzgibbon, a Kevin Rudd backer, yesterday gave an interview about the leadership speculation and said it would be ""silly" to suggest nothing was going on.