MP Stephen Byers calls for Gordon Brown to quit

Jun 9 2009 by William Green, The Journal

MPs told to end ‘suicidal’ efforts to bring down PM

LABOUR Party members in the region hit out at MPs trying to bring down Gordon Brown just hours before North Tyneside MP Stephen Byers demanded he resign.

As Labour MPs were told to stop their “suicidal” efforts to undermine the Prime Minister, local party activists told them to “bring the battle” to the Conservatives.

While Labour MEP Stephen Hughes can console himself that his team secured the party its largest regional vote, his 25% was the lowest Labour have ever polled in a European election.

Compared to 2004’s all postal vote election, which had a higher than average turn out, Labour lost over 118,000 votes in just five years.

In Northumberland Labour came third behind the Liberal Democrats and then the Conservatives.

In Newcastle Labour was more than 1,000 votes behind the Liberal Democrats, while in North Tyneside they beat the Conservatives by just 224 votes.

All the main parties saw the actual number of votes cast in their favour decline, although the Conservatives did see their percentage share of the overall votes cast increase.

Newcastle councillor Jeremy Beecham, who sits on Labour’s national executive committee, last night admitted his party could “hardly have done any worse”.

“This has been spectacularly tough for all parties as a result of the expenses issue and, in particular for Labour, the low turn out. As a result we have absolutely seen our worst results in the European elections.

“And we know as a party we have to move on from personal issues and show people in Newcastle and elsewhere why the Labour party is still there for them.

“The Conservatives, when you look at their share of the vote in places such as North Tyneside, did not do enough to prove they are attracting new support. We have to move the debate on to what they would do if elected and the terrible impact that would have on many families.”

Mr Beecham also fired off a warning on behalf of Labour’s core supporters to MPs and ministers seeking to destabilise the Brown Government.

“There are many people in the party who are annoyed at those who have flounced out of the Government with moves timed to cause maximum damage. That sort of self indulgence is upsetting the party faithful.”

In North Tyneside CLP secretary Eddie Darke said the Tories were far from guaranteed a victory in Tynemouth, but agreed they would push for the seat come the general election.

Adrian Pearson