LAST week was one Prime Minister Gordon Brown will probably want to forget and included the loss of the Gurkha settlement rights vote as well as him having to backtrack on ideas for MPs’ expenses.

These were the main stories, but there were others hidden behind the big ones and the week left Mr Brown and his Government wounded.

The European elections, and local elections in some parts of the UK, are only weeks away.

If Labour does badly at those elections then Mr Brown’s future as Prime Minister will be shaky. Rumours of plots against him are already in the public domain, as are suggestions that a General Election defeat may see some Labour MPs jumping ship if the vessel shifts too far to the left. It was Michael Foot’s leadership in difficult circumstances that led to the creation of the SDP.

Mr Brown may wish he’d gone ahead with an election in 2007 after all. Unless there are dramatic changes, Labour’ is looking at defeat next year.

Jacquie Bell, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokeswoman, Stockton South.