LEFT-WING MPs are advising Education Minister Jay Weatherill not to challenge Premier Mike Rann.

"Any challenge in the current climate would be an appalling mistake," a source said yesterday.

Speculation on a change of leadership has been rife since an Advertiser poll last week showed Labor's primary support at 24 per cent.

The poll also had Mr Rann's approval at 28 per cent. Opposition Leader Isobel Redmond was the preferred premier of 56 per cent of those polled.

Labor sources said yesterday the party needed to settle down and let the dust settle from the poll, and the shock charging of a Labor MP with child pornography offences.

The party's preference is understood to be for a negotiated deal to see a leadership handover early next year from Mr Rann to either Mr Weatherill or John Rau.

While Mr Rau is favourite as the Right has the numbers in Caucus, at least four Right MPs are believed to be ready to support Mr Weatherill.

Mr Rann dismissed speculation saying: "We are getting on with the job. There will be good polls and bad polls," he said.

Adelaide University school of history and politics head Dr Clem Macintyre said the situation was "messy" to the point where it was hard to see Labor re-establishing as the dominant party without key structural change.