Gillard says leadership story is 'untrue' Prime Minister Julia Gillard has slapped down claims that "Labor heavies" have told her she has to go, as the government continues to face massive seat losses come the federal election. Ms Gillard, who saw off a botched coup attempt by Kevin Rudd supporters almost three months ago, was questioned in parliament about an article written by columnist Phillip Adams in The Australian on Tuesday. Mr Adams said "a lengthening number of Labor heavies have told Gillard, publicly or privately, that she has to go" and named Foreign Minister Bob Carr. Senator Carr's shadow Julie Bishop raised the issue in question time, asking Ms Gillard if she could confirm he had approached her to quit for the good of the party. "That report is entirely untrue," the prime minister said. Senator Carr responded on Twitter saying it was "inaccurate" to say he had asked Ms Gillard to resign. Speculation about Ms Gillard's leadership has been muted since March, when Labor stalwart Simon Crean and other Rudd supporters calling for a caucus vote were confounded by Mr Rudd's decision not to run. This led to a series of ministerial resignations - although Mr Crean was sacked - and culminated last week with former resources minister Martin Ferguson announcing he was quitting politics at the September 14 election. But on Tuesday the speculation reared again, after the latest Newspoll showed the coalition's lead over the government had increased by two points in the past two weeks to 16 on a two-party preferred basis. If the 58-42 per cent poll result is repeated in September, Labor's parliamentary representation will be nearly halved to 37. "We're in more trouble than Indiana Jones," Labor backbencher Graham Perrett said. Former government whip Joel Fitzgibbon openly ridiculed Labor HQ instructions on how government MPs should respond to questions about the poll and another showing Labor facing swings in Victoria. Asked for her response to Mr Fitzgibbon making light of the talking points, Finance Minister Penny Wong said the MP needed to "explain to his electors how that was helpful to the Labor cause." Opposition Leader Tony Abbott is taking nothing for granted and has warned coalition MPs not to get too carried away. "We are 102 paces (days) from the summit," he told reporters in Canberra. But those 102 paces are the hardest paces of all. One slip, even at that late stage, can be very, very fatal. Industry Minister Greg Combet said Labor was under considerable pressure, but come the election the choice for voters on issues like education and superannuation would be more sharply framed. "We'll be arguing our case, I can assure you," he said.