THE BRITISH Prime Minister, Mr John Major, defiantly vowed to win the general election yesterday as his party reeled from its second worst ever performance in Thursday's English local elections.
As the final results were declared, the Conservatives marked the 17th anniversary of Mrs Thatcher's first election victory by taking just 27 per cent of the vote overall, putting them just one percentage point ahead of the Liberal Democrats.
A 12 point swing against the Tories helped Labour gain more than 430 seats, while the Liberal Democrats won 143. Labour took control of 11 new councils, and the Liberal Democrats five, including Sir Patrick Mayhew's home base of Tunbridge Wells.
The Conservatives managed to retain control in Huntingdon, Broxborne in Hertfordshire and Macclesfield, but lost Runnymede in leafy Surrey.
Mr Tony Blair, the Labour leader, said he would not be complacent following his party's gains. But he stressed the Tories should be worried at Labour victories in previous Tory "heartlands" such as Basildon, in Essex, and Peterborough, the Tory chairman, Dr Brian Mawhinney's, own constituency.
Mr Paddy Ashdown claimed the results topped six years of success: "The Liberal Democrats are now genuinely a national party, capable of winning where either of the other two parties govern badly, making progress in every corner of the country, and making progress against both of them."
The Prime Minister described the loss of over 500 council seats as "disappointing". But he blamed the latest electoral disaster on a low turn out and protesting stay at home Tory voters. Dr Brian Mawhinney, while acknowledging that the results were bad, said they were not the meltdown some commentators had forecast. Plainly relieved by a modest 2 per cent improvement on last May's results, Dr Mawhinney declared: "We're on our way back."
But as Tory MPs digested the news of "wipe outs" in such major cities as Manchester, Newcastle and Oxford - as well as in Wigan, Hastings, Tamworth, Stevenage and Harlow - doubts deepened about Mr Major's ability to deliver a fifth term.
As Mr Blair hailed the results as a huge step on the road to [Labour] victory" at the general election, a Conservative MP, Mr Nicholas Winterton, declared: "We have lost it. We have got out of touch. If we realise it, we can do something about it. If we don't, we can't and we'll lose."
The leading right winger Sir George Gardiner said: "Let's be honest. These are pretty appalling results. Admittedly our share of the vote is up on last year and to that degree it is encouraging. But then, last year's results were pretty appalling, too.
"Twelve months ago we were told `Don't worry, we'll have much better economic news to spread come another year'. Well, we've got that much better economic news but it doesn't seem to be making much difference, does it?"
From the party's left, the pro European Mr Quentin Davies described the results as "extremely depressing". He said: "It's quite clear that, despite the recovery in the economy, the public are still far from satisfied with our performance."
But Dr Mawhinney led a powerful counter offensive, arguing: "Labour did not do as well as they did last year, so I am left with the clear impression that they have peaked."
Dismissing renewed speculation about Mr Major's leadership, he said: "There isn't any talk about leadership. John Major is a leader. John Major is a winner. He demonstrated that against a great deal of media speculation in 1992. He's going to lead us into the general election. We're going to win that election. He's going to be back in Downing Street."
Meanwhile, Mr John Redwood, last year's defeated leadership challenger, repeated that he would not challenge Mr Major for the top job.
But in a somewhat underwhelming endorsement, he said: "I will not challenge him all the time he is Prime Minister and leader."