The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, London

The man once described as the "big clunking fist" of British politics is on the ropes. Just 10 months into the job, Prime Minister Gordon Brown is facing mounting attacks on his premiership.

There has even been talk of a leadership challenge ahead of his first major electoral test as prime minister-local council elections in England, Wales and Scotland and the London mayoral contest on May 1.

But despite poor poll ratings, open dissent within the ranks of the governing Labour Party and attacks on his reputation for economic competence, Tony Blair's former finance minister has brushed aside talk of quitting.

"I'm starting a job that I mean to continue," he told one interviewer shortly before jetting to the United States for a four-day visit focused mainly on addressing the downturn in the world economy.

There are signs that the Labour Party, in power since 1997, is increasingly concerned by its current position, which according to one recent poll puts the main opposition Conservative Party 16 points ahead-a 16-year high.

Another survey suggested most Britons have no faith in the government to lead the country out of the current financial troubles.

Brown's close ally, finance minister Alistair Darling, accepted this week that the party needs to "sharpen up" its act. The prime minister himself said there are "issues about how we get our message across" to the public.

Meanwhile there is growing anger among Labour members of parliament over the government's plans to remove the 10 percent tax threshold for the lowest earners.

The government also faces a potentially sizeable parliamentary rebellion over its plans to increase custody time limits for suspected extremists to 42 days.

Even Brown's trip to the United States has been criticised, with commentators lamenting his low profile State-side and a scheduling clash with Pope Benedict XVI.

In the words of one Labour member of the unelected upper chamber of parliament House of Lords, Lord Meghnad Desai: "Gordon Brown was put on earth to remind people how good Tony Blair was."

Brown is confident Britain can withstand the economic turmoil caused by the credit crunch that has already seen the collapse of the Northern Rock bank.

But his long-term plans could be hit by poor election results.

One local government analyst has predicted the centre-left party could see its share of the vote drop to about 25 percent-a 30-year low.

The two-way fight between Labour's Ken Livingstone, London mayor since 2000, and Tory challenger Boris Johnson also looks like it will go to the wire.