Brown's Labor Party routed in British vote

LONDON, May 2 (UPI) -- In his first proper electoral test as prime minister, Gordon Brown's Labor Party was routed in British local elections Friday.

Late Friday, the Conservatives won the ultimate prize when Boris Johnson was declared winner as mayor of London. He defeated Ken Livingstone, who has been mayor for almost eight years.

Brown called it a "bad" and "disappointing" experience as his Labor Party suffered its worst election outcome in four decades.

With results still coming in from elections around England and Wales, Labor was running third, its projected national vote share put at just 24 per cent, trailing 20 points behind David Cameron's Conservatives at 44 per cent, The Times of London said. Labor even trailed the Liberal Democrats who had 25 per cent.

The latest analyses suggested the Tories would enjoy a landslide Commons majority of between 138 and 164 seats if the results were repeated in a general election.

The Tories succeeded in seizing control in Bury in Labor's northern heartlands and Southampton, one of the few Southern cities where Labor still has MPs.

Brown appeared to reject calls for a major change of direction and said he would show the necessary "courage and conviction" to overcome the current troubles.

"It is clear to me that this has been a disappointing night and a bad night for Labor," he said. "My job is to listen and to lead and that is what I will do."