KEVIN Rudd is likely to replace Julia Gillard as prime minister by February at the latest, his brother Greg says.

Greg Rudd, who will stand as an independent Senate candidate for Queensland at the next federal poll which is due by late 2013, told Fairfax Media that Labor was "dead meat" at the next election and that backing his brother was the only way they could avoid being decimated.

While he said Kevin Rudd was unlikely to "change his spots" and would not challenge again, the business consultant said the former foreign minister was "the only alternative".

"It is very much still in internal discussion mode but it is ramping up," he told Fairfax.

Mr Rudd predicted the party would make the decision over Christmas.

The brother of the ousted prime minister said the two siblings had very different political styles.

"He thinks my style is weak and I think his has no longevity.

"Kevin is who Kevin is."

Greg Rudd, who left Australia to work in Asia when his brother became prime minister, said earlier this week that he believed Ms Gillard would be safe for the rest of the year.