Labor party loses big in local elections

LONDON, June 5 (UPI) -- British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's Labor Party took a major hit in local elections, early results indicated Friday.

Initial results indicated candidates from both the Conservative and Liberal Democrats parties captured wins over Labor Party contenders in what were former Labor strongholds, The Guardian reported.

British voters elected 27 county councils, seven unitary councils and three mayors.

His party's losses locally put more pressure on Brown, who saw four Cabinet members resign this week.

In Lincolnshire, Conservative and council leader Martin Hill, told the Guardian, "Based on our results, it's looking very ominous for Labor. ... I think they are going to lose control of all their councils."

"The Labor vote is going because people are aware that the Labor government is in disarray," Hill said.

The bright spot for the Labor Party was in Scotland, where early returns indicated the party claimed two local council victories in Glasgow and North Lanarkshire.