British Labour Party slumps to 15 per cent in European election

Jun 8, 2009, 8:04 GMT

London - Britain's ruling Labour Party suffered a 'very, very bad defeat' in the elections to the European Parliament, deputy party leader Harriet Harman said Monday.

But Harman rejected suggestions that the result, the worst in Labour's election history, would increase pressure on embattled Prime Minister Gordon Brown to step down.

Instead, Labour had to 'reconnect with the people' and make good the damage done by the scandal over expenses.

Brown is due to face a crucial meeting of Labour's parliamentary party (PLP) Monday evening.

With a turnout of just 33 per cent, results showed that Labour lost an average 7 per cent of support across the country, coming third behind the anti-European UK Independent Party (UKIP), and being defeated by the Conservatives in Wales for the first time in history.

The far-right British National Party (BNP) gained two seats in the European Parliament. It is the first time ever that the extremist, anti-foreigner party, has won a parliamentary seat in a nationwide poll in Britain.

According to results so far, with Northern Ireland still being counted Monday, the Conservatives gained 28.6 per cent of the vote, followed by UKIP at 17.4 per cent.

Labour received 15.3 per cent of the vote and the Liberal Democrats 13.9 per cent. The Greens won 8.7 per cent and the BNP 6.5 per cent.