[Mail and Globe] Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown faced a renewed challenge to his leadership on Monday after support for the ruling Labour Party plunged to its lowest level in a century in European elections.
Compounding Labour's woes, the far-right British National Party won two seats in the European Parliament for the first time. The BNP gained the seats in northern England at the expense of Brown's Labour Party, which has been hurt by a scandal over politicians' expenses.
Brown, who reshuffled his government after six ministers quit last week,was set to meet on Monday evening with Labour members of Parliament, a number of whom have called on him to step down before a general election due within a year.
"It's a very, very bad defeat for us," Brown's deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman told BBC television. But Brown was "resilient" and would fight on, she said.
Political commentators said he had a desperate political fight ahead after the disastrous European poll showing. The right-of-centre Daily Telegraph said Brown was "on the edge, while the Times declared him "out for the count". The normally supportive Guardian newspaper, which last week turned against Brown and called on him to step down, said Brown was facing a "make or break" challenge to his leadership.
The turmoil rattled markets last week, pushing the pound lower. Investors are wary of uncertainty when Britain faces its deepest recession since World War II and the budget deficit has reached a record £175-billion ($281-billion).
Brown's departure would almost certainly precipitate an early election which the centre-right opposition Conservatives are expected to win after 12 years out of power. |