Brown heading for 'dismal' EU poll results

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's ruling Labour Party braced yesterday for "dismal" European election results, set to add to pressure on his leadership after a week of political turmoil.

The first results from the poll revealed support for Brown's party fell by nine per cent in the Labour heartland of the north-east of England, although the allocation of members of the European Parliament (MEPs) was unchanged.

"We are bracing ourselves for very dismal results, I think there's no doubt about that," Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman told the BBC.

She said voters were "absolutely furious" with the ruling party following revelations about the lavish expenses claims of lawmakers, particularly given the recession and rising unemployment in Britain.

The results will add to the pressure on Mr Brown, who has already suffered a turbulent week that saw 10 ministers resign, disastrous local election results and intense speculation about a plot within his own Labour party to oust him.

At a meeting of Labour Party activists in London yesterday, Mr Brown again said he would soldier on.

"What would they (the public) think of us if ever we walked away from them at a time of need... We are sticking with them," he said, adding that it was a "testing time for our whole country."

Fringe parties such as the anti-European UK Independence Party (Ukip) and the far-right British National Party (BNP) are expected to benefit from the expenses scandal, which has damaged all the main parties.

The first tensions over a possible win by BNP chairman Nick Griffin in northwest England spilled over before the count in the city of Manchester. Several dozen anti-BNP protesters stopped him entering the building.

They chanted that the BNP - which calls for the immediate halt to all immigration to Britain - were a "Nazi" party. Mr Griffin entered by a back door.

The first results of Britain's 72 MEPs were announced in northeast England, where Labour, the main opposition Conservatives and Britain's third party, the centrist Liberal Democrats, retained an MEP each.

But Labour's share of the vote fell by 9.1 per cent, down to 25 per cent, while the Conservatives gained 1.2 per cent to 19.8 per cent. Ukip, the BNP and the Green party all saw their share increase by less than five percent.

Another ballot box battering could deal a fatal blow to Mr Brown's faltering premiership.

A reported rebellion by Labour failed to materialise last week after Mr Brown reshuffled his Cabinet on Friday and several high-profile ministers publicly pledged support for his leadership.

But there are concerns that a poor showing in the European polls could revive simmering discontent at a weekly meeting of Labour MPs on Monday.