British Prime Minister Gordon Brown managed persuade a majority of Labour MPs to continue supporting him despite last week's humiliating defeat in the European Parliamentary and local council elections.

According to the prime minister's spokesperson, Mr Brown told MPs, "I know I need to improve". A number of senior MPs are still calling for his resignation but, for now at least, a majority of MPs are still backing the PM.

A parliamentary expenses scandal seriously damaged public support for the Labour Party and Mr Brown was personally damaged by the resignation of 11 ministers in one week. Labour's performance in the local elections was its worst for 100 years and the party lost control of its last four councils. The party came third in the European Parliamentary elections, gaining just 15.7 percent of the vote, behind the UK Independence Party and the opposition Conservatives.