Brown vows to fight on in 'testing time'

Jun 6, 2009, 12:58 GMT

London - Gordon Brown vowed Friday to fight on as British Prime Minister despite an air of crisis surrounding his leadership, highlighted by a string of ministerial resignations and a looming devastating defeat in European and local elections.

Emerging to face the press after a tumultuous day that saw three ministers and a number of state secretaries resign from his government, Brown said he had put together a 'resilient' new team to tackle the economic and constitutional problems facing Britain.

'I'm candid because I admit that here have been mistakes. I accept full responsibility,' said Brown. 'But I will not waver, I will not walk away.'

Brown, 58, who has been prime minister for two years, has been shaken in the past week by a total of five ministerial resignations and an open call by one former cabinet member on him to resign.

'If I didn't think I was the right person leading the right team ... I would not be standing here,' said Brown Friday, looking pale and exhausted after what he said was a 'long day and a hard night.'

He conceded that his ruling Labour Party had suffered a 'painful defeat' in elections to the European Parliament and local elections in Britain Thursday, results which he blamed on people's anger over the expenses scandal.

Initial results from local elections showed that Labour lost control to the Conservatives and the Liberals in three counties in northern Britain considered as traditional Labour strongholds.

According to BBC projections, Labour's share of the national vote in the local elections will fall to 23 per cent, behind the Conservatives on 38 per cent and the Liberals on 28 per cent.

The Greens were averaging 12 per cent of the vote, while the anti-European UKIP party was put at 14 per cent and the right-wing British National Party (BNP) at 11 per cent.

The outcome of the election of the 72 British members of the European Parliament (MEPs) will be announced Sunday evening.

Defence Secretary John Hutton and Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon announced their resignation from the cabinet Friday.

The move came just hours after James Purnell, the Works and Pensions Secretary, dropped a political bombshell by linking his decision to quit with an public call for Brown to step down.

Expressing his belief that Labour could not win the next general election with Brown at the helm, Purnell said: 'I am therefore calling on you to stand aside to give our party a fighting chance of winning.'

Earlier this week, Communities Secretary Hazel Blears and Home Secretary Jacqui Smith resigned.

Smith was Friday replaced as Home Secretary by Alan Johnson, the former Health Secretary, who is widely seen as a strong contender for the Labour leadership should Brown have to go.

It was also confirmed Friday that Alistair Darling, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, will stay in their posts after resisting attempts to move them to other portfolios.

While Hutton, a known 'Blairite,' insisted Friday that he was quitting the cabinet for family reasons, his departure is still seen as a blow to Brown.

Hutton will be replaced by Shaun Woodward, the former Northern Ireland Secretary, it was announced.

The current crisis was initially sparked by media exposure of excessive expenses claims by parliamentarians of all political parties last month.

But it quickly developed into a crisis centering on Brown, who, despite his considerable stature as an international leader, is seen by many in his own Labour Party as a weak and unpopular leader.

The leader of the opposition Conservative Party, David Cameron, Friday called for an immediate general election. 'The Labour government is collapsing before our eyes,' he said.

His call was echoed by the Liberal Democrat leader, Nick Clegg. 'Labour is finished,' said Clegg.

Labour has been in power in Britain since 1997, when it won a landslide victory under Blair, from whom Brown took over two years ago. The next general election must be held before June, 2010.