The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, London

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown suffered another serious blow to his leadership Friday after his governing Labour Party lost one of its safest seats in a by-election in his native Scotland.

The Scottish National Party (SNP) reversed a majority of 13,500 in Glasgow East to snatch Labour's 25th safest seat in Britain, prompting more questions about how long Brown can remain in Downing Street.

Although he has only been in the job for a year, Brown has already suffered a string of terrible results in by-elections, local elections and London's mayoral election, when Labour incumbent Ken Livingstone was beaten by Boris Johnson of the main opposition Conservatives.

The latest hammer blow prompted David Cameron, the Conservative leader, to call for a snap general election.