Brown faces revolt

BRITAIN: Britain’s Prime Minister Gordon Brown faced a renewed challenge to his leadership on Monday after support for the ruling Labour Party plunged to its lowest level in a century in European elections.

Compounding Labour’s woes, the far-right British National Party won two seats in the European Parliament for the first time.

The BNP gained the seats in two regions of northern England at the expense of Brown’s Labour Party, which has been hurt by a scandal over politicians’ expenses.

Brown, who reshuffled his government after six ministers resigned last week, was set to meet on Monday evening with Labour members of parliament, a number of whom have called on him to quit ahead of a general election due within a year.

The political turmoil rattled markets last week, pushing the pound lower. Investors are wary of uncertainty when Britain faces its deepest recession since World War Two and the budget deficit has reached a record 175 billion pounds ($281 billion).

Brown’s departure would almost certainly precipitate an early general election which the centre-right opposition Conservatives are expected to win after 12 years out of power. They are yet to flesh out their plans for restoring order to public finances.

London, Monday, Reuters