The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, London

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's Labour Party suffered its worst results since the 1960s in local elections, forecasts said Friday, while a high-profile contest for London mayor hung in the balance.

As results poured in, Labour-with Brown leading them into elections for the first time since taking office last year-was set to finish in third place behind the opposition Conservatives and Liberal Democrats, the BBC said.

The ruling party could face further humiliation in the London mayoral race, which pitched the current mayor, Labour's Ken Livingstone, against the Conservatives' maverick Boris Johnson.

Voting in the capital took place Thursday, the same day as in the nationwide local polls, but counting starts at 0730 GMT and the results are expected to be announced sometime after 1600 GMT.

The Conservatives have 44 percent of the vote, the Liberal Democrats 25 percent and Labour 24 percent, according to BBC projections, which added that this result would be its worst since the late 1960s.

With results from 100 out of 159 local councils officially announced, the Conservatives had won 45 local councils, Labour 14 and the Liberal Democrats six.

The remainder were not controlled by any single party.

Labour lost six councils and 162 councillors and the Conservatives gained eight councils and 147 councillors.

Senior government figures pinned the blame on the global economic downturn and insisted Brown-who succeeded Tony Blair in Downing Street last June-was still the best man for the job.

Harriet Harman, Labour's deputy leader, told BBC television: "We all think these are disappointing results and we recognise the economic context with people feeling the pincht

"But we are determined to listen and confident to take the country forward."

Some commentators suggested that the results could represent a tipping point for the Conservatives' hopes at the next general election, which must be held before the middle of 2010.