LOTHIAN Labour politicians today backed Prime Minister Gordon Brown in the wake of his Cabinet reshuffle and insisted he would lead the party into the next general election.
But as Mr Brown pledged he would not "waver" or "walk away", a projection based on English local election results predicted the party could end up in third place behind the Tories and Lib Dems if people voted in the same way at the general election.
Labour lost its four remaining county councils in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Lancashire and Staffordshire to the Tories at the local elections, with the Ipsos Mori projection giving the Conservatives 38 per cent of the vote, the Lib Dems 28 per cent and Labour 23 per cent.
Mr Brown's leadership woes continued as it was revealed that he had paid more than £180 to the Commons Fees Offices following claims that he had "flipped" his second home from his London flat to his home in Fife in September 2006.
He is said to have claimed an electricity bill for his Fife home for a period when London was still his designated second home.
Edinburgh South-West MP Alistair Darling kept his job as Chancellor in yesterday's reshuffle despite speculation he would be replaced by Education Secretary Ed Balls.
Defence Secretary John Hutton and Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon quit the government, but did not follow Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell in urging Mr Brown to stand down.
Europe minister Caroline Flint launched a bitter attack on the Prime Minister after she resigned, accusing him of treating women ministers as "female window dressing".
But Lothians MSP and Labour peer George Foulkes praised the reshuffle and said he was convinced Gordon Brown would lead the party into the next election. "He is seen as a world leader in tackling the problems of the recession," he said.
PRAISE:George Foulkes, Nigel Griffiths and Mark Lazarowicz voiced strong support for the beleaguered PrimeMinister
Lord Foulkes said he was pleased Mr Darling was staying on as Chancellor. "This idea Gordon wanted to get rid of Alistair was nonsense. Alistair is very close to Gordon."
And Lord Foulkes criticised Mr Purnell's behaviour. He said: "James is able and has been a good minister, but what he has said and done is very foolish. It's interesting no-one is following in his footsteps. He is out on a limb."
Edinburgh South Labour MP Nigel Griffiths said the departure of key critics such as Hazel Blears and Mr Purnell – and potential successor Alan Johnson's comment that Mr Brown was still the best Prime Minister – had left him in a stronger position despite the local election results.
He said: "We are all working on the premise that the economy will start picking up, issues will move on and if we get a good January, February and March and something bad happens to the Tories, policywise or otherwise, we are in with a shout of forming the next government, even as a minority."
And Mark Lazarowicz, MP for Edinburgh North & Leith, said:
"Gordon Brown now has an opportunity to reshape the government and set out an agenda for the next year. He has got a lot of challenges to face, but I'm sure he will respond to them."
