The PM who won the public’s respect but not their affection

HE became Prime Minister and leader of the Labour Party without an election, and now Gordon Brown has lost his job after failing in the biggest electoral test of his life.

Winning a fourth term for Labour was always going to be a tall order after a deep recession, two unpopular wars and a huge parliamentary expenses scandal. But throughout the election, Brown insisted he was fighting for a majority Labour government.

Even polls which gave the Conservatives the lead during the campaign held out hope for Brown that he might be thrown a lifeline by the peculiarities of the Westminster voting system, which could deliver the most seats to a party finishing second – or even third – in the popular vote.