Gordon Brown: Backing Blair

Gordon Brown and John Prescott have moved to boost the prime minister following last week's election setbacks for Labour.

The chancellor and the deputy prime minister insisted that while Labour had to listen to the message being sent by voters, the party was still on course for a third election victory under Tony Blair's leadership.

Brown told GMTV's Sunday Programme that he was "disappointed" by the loss of hundreds of Labour councillors, and admitted that Iraq "has been an issue".

But he insisted that the transfer of sovereignty would now allow the public to focus on the progress being made in improving public services.

"People saw that we made a promise at the 2001 election, about very considerable additional investment in health and education and transport and policing," Brown said.

"Now all these things have got to come through with the full effect, the full impact of that new investment being seen and the process of reform we’ve been involved in.

"And I think by the time we get to the general election...people will see the benefits that have come from what has been a very big program of investment and a very big commitment to our public services and the same is true of the economy."

The chancellor also insisted that the problems caused by Iraq were not just an issue for the prime minister.

"Let me just say that we make these decisions as a team, this is a government that works as a team and we take responsibility as a team," he said.

Meanwhile, speaking to the BBC, the deputy prime minister also expressed confidence that Labour can recover its position in the polls despite trailing Michael Howard's Conservatives.

"This isn't a meltdown situation," Prescott said, adding that the Tories "have had good results before as they've seen it and then gone on to lose the election".

"Our job is to keep our nerve as Tony says, to get our case across because the exit polls show us that health and education and jobs and the economy are still the issues that people are concerned with. When we come to the election they will dominate," he told Breakfast with Frost.

"I believe we will go on, fight that election and do very well. In my view win it, but you have got to keep the trust of the people.

"I am sure now we're going to get into that election, we're going to win that election. We've got to not be complacent, not take the people for granted."

There was also support from the prime minister from Lord Falconer, the constitutional affairs secretary.

"As far as the party is concerned, I believe that he is keen to lead the party and the party is keen for him to lead them," he told LWT's Jonathan Dimbleby programme.

"There is no doubt that we all want Tony and expect Tony to lead the party into the next election.

"The prime minister has made it clear that he will stand and stand on the basis that it will be for a full term.

"He will stay leader for as long as it is in the interests of the party and the public. I don't think for one moment he has become a liability for the party."

Hain's warning

One dissenting voice from Labour's high command, however, came from Commons leader Peter Hain.

Speaking to the Observer newspaper, he warned that Labour supporters who protest about the Iraq war by voting Liberal Democrat could cost the party another general election victory.

"These people who think they get a free hit will find themselves with a rude shock and a Tory MP. They could deprive us of our majority," he warned.

"If this behaviour is reflected at the general election, then it isn't teaching us a lesson or giving a message. What it's doing is bringing in Michael Howard by the back door."

Hain later told the BBC that the party was "in a good position" to win the next election "but not if people use the kind of protest vote they did last Thursday".

"We've got to up our game. The longer we are in power nationally the harder it gets," he added.

Rebel MPs

Meanwhile, four backbench Labour MPs called on the prime minister to admit that mistakes were made over Iraq.

David Drew, Ann Cryer, Richard Burden and Kevin Brennan criticised the way policy on Iraq, Europe and relations with the USA had been handled.

"We lost heavily on Thursday because voters exacted revenge over Iraq and have yet to be persuaded that public service delivery is right," Drew told Radio 4's World This Weekend.

"On the former we have to put our hand up to say that we got it wrong, as much as anything so that we convince the wider electorate that intervention on occasions is appropriate."

But none of the MPs called on the prime minister to step down, and Brennan added that Blair should not "even think about packing it in".

"We need you at the wheel," he said.