LEARNING CURVE

Brown's Sheepish Apology

Labour MPs wanted to oust prime minister.

Britain’s beleaguered prime minister made a sheepish plea to remain in power in a speech to Labour MPs after the Party finished a dismal third in the EU elections. He admitted he had “a lot to learn” about being a leader. “Like everyone else, I have my strengths and weaknesses. I am going to play to my strengths and address my weaknesses,” Gordon Brown said. "No doubt I have much to learn about a collective way of leading the party and the government.” A group of renegade Labour MPs said they had a list of 50 names that have no confidence in Brown’s leadership, and wanted to have a secret vote on Brown. But other members of the party stopped the vote, as changing leadership would mean a call for elections, and the sure ousting of the Labour party—dogged by an embarrassing expenses scandal—from power.