Brown 'disappointed' by election results
Friday, 2 May 2008 12:00 AM
Gordon Brown has admitted that the results from last night's local elections were both "disappointing and "bad".
Mr Brown told reporters at a news conference in Downing Street this morning that the results represented a "disappointing night, a bad night for Labour".
With two-thirds of the results counted, forecasts claim the Labour party has slipped behind both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats in the elections.
Analysis of ballots cast on Thursday shows Mr Brown's party has 24 per cent of the vote share, compared to 44 per cent for the Tories and 25 per cent for the Lib Dems.
The BBC reports that Labour has lost 253 councillors so far, as well as key councils like Reading, representing the worse council results for the party in 40 years.
The Conservatives meanwhile have won key Welsh councils like the Vale of Glamorgan as well as Southampton, Bury and North Tyneside.
Mr Brown said today that he planned to "learn lessons, reflect on what has happened and move forward".
The prime minister claimed the government was well placed to deal with the current economic challenges and said that the real test of leadership came not when things were going well but during difficult circumstances.
He said that people wanted to be reassured that government could steer the country through the difficult economic situation.
"My job is to show people that we are taking right decisions on these issues," he said.
Serious about politics?
Dedicate one year of your life to getting to the heart of current issues in global politics. Our courses allow you to specialise in development and policy-making, international relations, and political journalism and communications.
Newsletter sign up