Brown calls for Labour discipline

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Gordon Brown called for discipline and unity at a private meeting of Labour MPs on Monday evening.

The prime minister told them to have confidence in what he admitted was a "difficult and testing time".

On expenses he said MPs must recognise the public mood that it was right they were under scrutiny.

It follows a difficult few weeks for Labour after the row over smear e-mails sent by Mr Brown's adviser Damian McBride and expenses revelations.

Mr Brown had to drop a key expenses reform proposal following widespread opposition and was criticised for announcing it, without consultation, on the Downing Street and YouTube websites.

'Friends and colleagues'

The government also suffered a surprise defeat in the Commons over the issue of Gurkhas' rights to settle in the UK - many Labour MPs chose to abstain or vote against the government.

One survey at the weekend suggested the party's ratings had slumped to just 23% - lower than when Michael Foot was party leader in the 1980s.

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And there has been speculation that the party could be pushed into third place in next month's local and European elections.

But Mr Brown urged MPs to have confidence - addressing backbenchers as "friends and colleagues".

He defended the government's record in his first speech to the Parliamentary Labour Party meeting since Easter when the revelations about Mr McBride were published.

On the issue of expenses - which remains in the headlines as the Daily Telegraph continues to publish revelations about MPs' claims - he repeated demands that the system had to change as soon as possible.

He said MPs had a duty to sort out the failings that had been laid bare by the revelations of the last few days.

Aides said Mr Brown told MPs: "We are in politics to serve the public, not for what we can get, but what we can give".

Earlier he said mistakes had been made, adding: "I want to apologise on behalf of politicians, on behalf of all parties, for what has happened in the events of the last few days."

Senior ministers have been rallying around Mr Brown - insisting he is the best man to lead the party through the next general election.

At last week's prime minister's questions Conservative leader David Cameron said Mr Brown's government was in "terminal decline" and told him: "Isn't it clear you're just not up to the job?"

But on Sunday Business Secretary Lord Mandelson told the BBC Britain needed Mr Brown's "boldness" and "consistency".

He said: "Politicians can either have or ideally have both a bit of razzmatazz and serious substance and content.

"I think Gordon Brown has a great deal of the substance and content. We'll leave the razzmatazz to David Cameron because that's all he has to offer."