Brown set for humiliating third place in June 4 elections

London, May 10 (ANI): British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's Labour Party is heading for a humiliating third place, trailing the Liberal Democrats as well as the Tories as it heads into the June 4 elections in 34 English local authorities.

Brown has been battered by revelations over ministerial expenses and a series of embarrassing climb-downs, which would be affecting his party's election prospects in next month's local elections.

An analysis for The Sunday Times by Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher, predicted that Labour will lose all four of the councils it controls and half the 500 seats it is defending.

Senior aides have warned Brown that if Labour comes third in the elections next month, a challenge to his leadership is almost inevitable.

It comes as more Labour ministers and backbenchers faced embarrassing disclosures about taxpayer-funded expenses.

Hazel Blears, the Communities' Secretary, faces questions over the sale of a flat she had designated as a second home. She made a profit of 45,000 pounds on the sale but paid no capital gains tax.

Work And Pensions Minister Kitty Ussher carried out a 20,000 pounds makeover on her run-down Victorian townhouse using taxpayer-funded expenses, The Times reports.

A YouGov poll for The Sunday Times puts the Tories on 43 percent, up two points on last month, with Labour down seven on 27 percent and the Liberal Democrats up two on 18 percent. It predicts Labour will get barely more than a fifth of the vote in European parliament elections, also to be held on June 4.

The prime minister suffered a new blow this weekend as a top Labour official, who had played a key role in Brown's elevation to No 10, labelled him a "disaster".

Peter Watt, former party general secretary, said: "At the moment the government appears to have absolutely no direction." (ANI)