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PLUM ROLE: Mr Boris Johnson, the newly elected Conservative mayor of London, on his first day of work on Saturday. -- PHOTO: BLOOMBERG
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LONDON - BRITISH Prime Minister Gordon Brown's leadership was thrown into question after his ruling Labour Party suffered a local-elections drubbing capped by the loss of the prize of London mayor.
As Mr Boris Johnson of the main opposition Conservative Party took plaudits for ousting maverick left-winger Ken Livingstone in the capital, senior Labour figures were assessing their worst local-polls showing in 40 years.
A Labour backbencher warned that Mr Brown needs to improve fast or face 'really hard talking'.
In his defence, Mr Brown yesterday said concerns over rising food, utility and gasoline prices contributed to the Labour Party's losses.
The government had gone to the polls facing criticism of its recent economic record, botched tax reforms and public anger at rising fuel, food and energy costs.
'I feel responsible. There are no excuses on my part at all,' Mr Brown told the BBC.
The Prime Minister, who started a fightback with a series of TV interviews yesterday, said his government must now show a 'clear and unequivocal' plan to deal with the economic downturn.
The loss of more than 300 council seats across England and Wales, including in traditional Labour heartlands, came in Mr Brown's first test at the ballot box since he took over from Mr Tony Blair last June.
The British media called the losses a 'May Day Massacre' and said Mr Brown faced an uphill battle to stave off the Tories ahead of a general election which must take place by mid-2010.
The loss in London - seen as a proxy vote between Mr Brown and Tory leader David Cameron - epitomised the scale of the defeat for the government amid predictions that it would act as a springboard for further Tory gains.
Some commentators said the election drubbing signalled the start of the end for the Labour government.
'After an era of dominance that has endured since the mid-1990s, Labour is about to enter the twilight,' Mr Jonathan Freedland wrote in the left-leaning Guardian newspaper.
In the local polls, the Conservatives took 44 per cent of the national vote, as opposed to 24 per cent by Labour and 25 per cent by the Liberal Democrats.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, ASSOCIATED PRESS
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