Gordon Brown looks to win back voters

Gordon Brown is looking to win back voters by scrapping unpopular policies after Labour lost out in the local elections.

The prime minister admitted on Sunday that mistakes had been made but rejected the idea that he should resign, highlighting that the global economic slowdown was a key reason for his party's poor performance.

In a bid to appeal to voters, he may veto plans for a national pay-as-you-throw bin scheme and get rid of an unpopular 2p rise in fuel duty.

In a BBC interview, Mr Brown said that his party could recover by taking the following steps: "First of all by sorting out the immediate problem with the economy and showing people we can come through, as we have in the past, very difficult economic times.

"Secondly by showing people we have a vision of the future that will carry the country - optimistically in my view - into its next phase."

Mr Brown began the fightback yesterday in a series of interviews as the Labour party suffered its biggest defeat in local elections in 40 years, while Tory mayoral candidate unseated Labour incumbent Ken Livingstone in the London elections.

But British newspapers have not written the prime minister off yet and the Sun and the Daily Mail came out in support of Mr Brown on Monday.

The Daily Mail said: "Mr Brown's embrace of consumer-friendly policies is a welcome first sign of the new political realities," in its editorial today.

Meanwhile the Sun pointed out that Mr Brown has time on his side as he will not need to call an election until 2010. The newspaper said: "Things look bleak. But he cannot be written off."