Ed Miliband has made clear that he intends to lead the Opposition into the 2015 General Election after two senior colleagues denied they had been plotting behind his back should he step down.

The Labour leader said he was "proud" to be in the party's top job and insisted he relishes the fight they face to return to power.

It comes after shadow health secretary Andy Burnham and shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper denied reports they had been in secret talks about what to do if he quit as party leader.

In a post on Facebook, Mr Miliband, who has been heavily criticised over his recent performances, wrote: "I relish the fight for the future. And the difference here in Britain is that the Labour party is within months of an election we can win so that we can begin the business of changing our country for the better.

"Four and a half years into this parliament, I am proud to lead a party with this plan for Britain's future. We have six months to go out and show the difference Labour's plan will make. Together, that is what we will do."

Mr Miliband insisted Labour can win in May and will fight "street by street, house by house" to tell voters how "we are equal to the challenges of the time in which we live".

"We can beat all our opponents at the next election because of our Labour values, our passion and our plan for government," he said.

Mr Burnham had issued a plea for Labour to pull together as he dismissed as "complete and pure fiction" a claim he was involved in talks about a new leadership.

He denied plotting with Ms Cooper to present a joint platform in the event of a leadership vacancy. He said the stories were "complete and pure fiction" and contained not a "shred of truth."

Mr Burnham added: "What I think it's part of is a deliberate and desperate attempt to destabilise the Labour Party and to divide us. But I can say this: it won't work. We are a united team, we are united behind Ed."

Asked whether he would stand if there was a vacancy he said: "My focus is on the NHS, exposing the damage that this Government is doing and working hard to deliver the Labour government that this country needs and certainly that my constituency needs.

"That is where my focus is. I'm working hard to support Ed Miliband in every single way I can."

The reports suggested Mr Burnham and Ms Cooper had struck a "non-aggression pact" in the event of a contest to choose a new leader.

Ms Cooper's spokeswoman dismissed the suggestion as "lies ... complete and utter garbage".

Shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna, often tipped as a future leader, said Mr Miliband had brought the party "within touching distance" of power and warned Labour should not be distracted by "nonsense" about his position.

Election co-ordinator and Paisley and Renfrewshire MP Douglas Alexander said Labour must pull together, warning: "Divided parties lose elections," while veteran Peter Hain told "mutterers" in Labour ranks to stop feeding speculation.

Shadow education secretary Tristram Hunt said Mr Miliband would be an "innovative, reforming, radical prime minister and he is more than up to it".

Writing on the Politics Home website, Mr Umunna said the rumblings were "nonsense which some in the Westminster bubble want to distract us with".

Mr Umunna added: "The simple fact is that because of Ed Miliband's leadership we are now within touching distance of being what many thought impossible four years ago."