What difference does it make who the Prime Minister is? London no longer governs the UK. Brussels does, and the British people have nearly nothing to say about Brussels now that you have surrendered self-government.

James J. Daly, Minnesota, US

To Mac of Manchester I say this.. we have had the commonsense to spend our minimal UK State benefits where we get the best value. When Socialists again make the U.K. a liveable State we'll come home and help build. Meantime, with £120 Passport renewals I think we're allowed a comment.

Brian Filby, Fondettes, France

the British people have spoken. What is the point in Labour limping along for two more years with a PM no-one voted for? For Gods sake, call a general election and get it over with.

C Flick, Liverpool, UK

Mr Brown you were not elected as Prime Minister!

Do the decent thing and call an early election.

Costas, Cyprus,

Perhaps rather than “listen and lead”. he should consider “listen and leave”. No one voted for him, no one likes him and his petty ways have damaged this country far worse than anyone could have possibly imagined. What next add an extra 10% income tax here and there.. cut a few services??

Luke , Cambridge, UK

Note he says "will listen". He might recognise that he has not done so up to now. The "So What" era is over. Now is too late Mr. B please take the southern exit!!

Len, Guadalajara,

Now the British people have to take to the streets to force a vote to replace the PM, do not go quietly. You should also shame the queen into not signing her assent to the EU treaty. Again, do not go quietly!

They count on your feeling intimidated, on accepting brow-beating.. do not!

Jenny, Grand Rapids, MI, US

Immigration and a refusal to hold a referendum on the EU constitution lost votes for Brown and his wreckers, not just tax, rsing fuel costs and whatever else they've suggested!

Phillip Anderton, Poole, England

Browns task now to secure another term in office is not to 'listen and lead' but to come up with some sensible solutions to the problems affecting this country and quietly steer them through parliament. No more big initiatives, show the public that the government can just do its job.

James Cornish, Lancaster,

Gordon Brown should do the decent thing and resign.

He has shown total incompetence in scrapping the 10% rate of tax by not recognising that certain sections of the community would be much worse off. Anyone with an ounce of brain would immediately deduce this. Why did none of his cabinet tell him

P Baker, Andover, UK

"listen and lead", gordon?

er.... why don't you listen and go?

jem, london, uk

Gordon if you have a decent bone in your body, GO NOW or are you trying the Nelson touch and turning a blind eye?

David, Worthing , Sussex

Listen?? you`re joking. none of these phoney politicians or the media listen to the people.

Labour have destroyed this country with their incompetence, will they undo the decisions of the last ten years that have led to this. like heck.

this was not a vote for the con. party either!

Matt, Horley, ENGLAND

Congrats Lads and Lass's !!!! Conservatism is the only way to save Ole Mother England......!

Jay, Los Angeles, USA

The people have spoken loudly and distinctly. They want no more of Mr Gordon Brown. He says he will listen and learn from the people. Then call an election, that's what they're saying.......
Brian Filby

Brian Filby, Fondettes, France

You should have listened to the people Mr Brown, and reversed your crazy immigration policy. Although it's not being widely commented on, this is one of the main reasons why many people are deserting the Labour Party. Enough is enough. Unless you get the message and take action to stem and reverse the flow, you are due for a 'right' drubbing at the forthcoming General Election.

melanie duxbury, blackburn, england

So, when he goes to the electorate, Brown achieves the worst electoral result in a generation. Doesn't he realise that introduced, and then took away, the 10p tax rate, leaving many people, including me, worse off. Then he is using his totally discredited tax credits to reimburse some.

tone, cambridge,

Brown has no excuses for the dire predicament he has lead the country into. Cheap labour (immigration), cheap money and cheap imports backed off with profligate public spending could only last so far before it came off the rails. Thatcher knew this much to the annoyance of the chattering left.

simon, uk,

Norman from Cheshire--and the rest of you ; wait a few years and you will hear the electorate complaining that they are 'very disappointed in David Cameron'

Dectora, London, UK

Economic "growth" for the last 10 years has been built on nothing more than a speculative bubble of rising house prices. Now Brown is desparate to prop up the market to "help first-time buyers"! This is utterly reckless, they will be in negative equity immediately, and stand to lose thousands!!

David Clewer, Southampton, UK

Gordon Brown cannot blame the world economic situation for his abject betrayal of the British people over the EU referendum. For the futile deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan. The litter strewn and lout infested streets, our congested and overcrowded island. The tax blunder by his own hand...

Kevin, Leeds,

It is simply a question of leadership.
It cannot be learned.
To be experienced is not enough.
To be competent is not enough.
In the last half century only these have had the 'it' factor:
JFK
Bobby Kennedy
Bill Clinton
Tony Blair
Barack Obama

Just go Gordon - soon!
Please!

Bryan Stanion, Aghios Nikolaos, Crete, Greece

Go now Brown - you were not elected as PM by the electorate! These votes say it all! This is meant to be a democracy - how the hell are we supposed to influence Zimbabwe when we are doing exactly the same here!

Rog, Leics, UK

Finally this Government is being punished for its evil, deceptive and undemocratic actions over the past 10 years!
An economy run on lies, with ever higher taxes and ever poorer levels of public service.The result of billions spent on illegal criminal wars and militant immigration policies..

Michael, Bishops Stortford, England

People do not vote Conservative as a protest vote. That the Conservative party in particular did well (rather than Labour's losses being spread more evenly amongst the Liberal Democrats and other smaller parties) indicates that, not only are Labour doing badly, but the Conservatives are doing well.

James E. Petts, Burnham, England

Mr Brown as a leader, lacked REALITY experience in dealing with unforeseen economic / all level problems as he is much a pure theoretical projectionist trained in his Chancellor days!!

ck, Northwood, England

A splendid bank holiday for all decent people. I'm so happy!

KS, Fife, Great Britain, not the EU!

A wake up call for Brown. He still has time to start listening and focusing on issues that affect us like crime, taxation and immigration rather than listening to spin doctors and jobsworths.

Hamad Lone, London, England

As others said, Ken did tried his best. But the debt for the Olympics will be yet another bill on Gordon Brown's credit bill that he will walk off and leave for the working public to pay for.

Please go Gordon, you tried you best, but it was not good enough. Nothing to be ashamed off.

roger, london,

So Brown is suffering - good - we are all about to endure years of financial pain - i hope he remains in No.10 and every day is a nightmare - to walk away now would be getting off very lightly indeed

jim pittman, york, uk

Kevin, we don't leave in any kind of democracy. In fact, in the modern administrative state the term democracy is far outdated to even apply.

Caroline Hazlehurst, FITZOVIA, ENGLAND

People miss the point.

The level of taxation is not the problem. The problem is that you do not see any return for the money.

In other countries you pay tax and get infrastructure and services in return. In the UK you pay tax.

The problem is public sector productivity and British incompetence.

qed, Hurst,

I notice a lot of expats commenting on here. Sorry but if you don't actually live in the UK, it's a bit rich of you to start commenting on the way WE who live here should be governed. I hope the prime minister shows us what he's made of in a positive way and beat the Tories in the next election.

Mac, Manchester, UK

Thank goodness at long last after 10 years of total disaster being led by this joke of a government perhaps we can see a glimmer of light for our country in the future by kicking Labour into touch. Cannot wait for General Election Day when Labour can hopefully be given an even more bloody nose.

Jenny, Kent, UK

Oh , my God , England and London like Italy and Rome elections disaster for labour party and for Mr. Veltroni and Mr. Rutelli.....Now in Italy the winner is Mr. Silvio Berlusconi P. M. with his three Channel TV.
I hope that Mr. Boris Johnson will be a great London Major like Mr. Ken Livingston.

arturo, ESTE, Italy

You can tell from the look on his face that genuinely din't expect this.
So much for his ability to listen and learn, If he couldn't do it before, he wont do it from now.
It's like a typical new year resolution. Good intent on the day but a week later and it's a case of ''well I tried''.

Bob, Warrington, Cheshire

The sensible thing to do now is to invite Ken Livingstone to be the next present of "Have I Got News for You?"

Adrian Simms, Poole, UK

Is anybody really surprised? In a time of economic downturn and dramatically rising living costs what does the government do? Hit the us, especially low-mid income earners, with higher taxes!
Simply vicious and cruel. They deserve this battering.

Jay, reading, berks

The 'difficult economic circumstances' Brown refers to are HIS creation!. The whole economy is based on debt!
It's too late to listen Mr Brown! But you can 'learn' something today! The electorate have had enough! Please resign!.

sophie smith, london,

No matter what he says Brown WILL NOT EVER listen to the electorate.
The tax burden is now So high the electorate will decide.
This government is reminiscent to the last day's of the conservative administration.
Government's be allowed TWO terms MAX in power.

Allan Pointon, Stafford, England

Boris! Brilliant.

Ross Hetherington, Redditch, England

I hope all you 'cool britannia' people who were so smug and self righteous in May 2007 have an 'un-cool' embarassed look on your face!! How are you finding your tax bills -both direct and indirect? Oh!! and where is the EU referendum- after 11yrs in power. Liars!! Well done Cameron and Boris!!

Norman Eccleston, Woore, Cheshire

The only way that Brown can be replaced his for his own MPs to vote against the current finance bill. The Government's spending plans will need to be reduced drastically and refocused on stopping post office closures, going back to weekly rubbish collections and cheaper petrol.

mike lincoln, wakefield,

Listen and lead? If he was really listening, he would leave. They don't have to worry about finding a new leader of the Labour Party, Ken needs a job doesn't he?

Garley, London, UK

The real humiliation of Labour is the election of Boris who many Conservatives have reservations about. Tax tax tax and spend spend spend with little sign of improvement. Attempts to deceive the public with stealth taxes (wait until they wake up to the retrospective tax on old cars next year! ).....

R James, Clifton, UK

What is curious about the Labour commentary on the elections is their lack of political insight into how ordinary people feel about them. 10p was the straw on the camel's back. We have to remove the other burdens on our our backs. All Cameron has to do, is NOT BE LABOUR.

Jamal, London,

So you are about to, belatedly, start listening to the British people whom in a democracy you serve. Well you can start with the referendum on the EU treaty which your Government promised and the electorate desire.

Kevin, Leeds,

Red Ken always wanted to be in charge of London after Maggie ended the `GLC, in the last 8 years, london has done down, not as clean as before, CCTV everywhere, you never see a police officer, I hope Boris can make London a Great city again

mohsen, malaga, spain

For showing our disapproval of Gordon Brown and his Economic Policies, we shall be punished with one year more of his presence.

Richard, Alicante, Spain

We've had enough of promises, smoke and mirrors, and looking back at 'what we've done'. We want just action. We want to be our own masters, not servants to the EU. And we do not want a new law each day!

And we know that no Chancellor 'runs' the economy. It runs itself, or is run by business.

Dick, Chesterfield,

What a pleasure to watch the metropolitan elite interviewers of the BBC forced to ask Labour Ministers (who they have obviously sympathised with in the past) some really embarasing questions.

dave, chorley, Uk

The biggest challenge Boris faces is the Olympics.
Labour have committed us to a level of debt that few can comprehend. It is going to bite us badly, and I fear Boris will be the one left holding the baby.
...just as Cameron will be left to run the country with a treasury that has been plundered.

peterj, aberdeen, uk

Renee from Windsor is evidently too young to remember the qualities of Labour and TUC governance during the seventies. She might ask her parents about three-day weeks, Derek Robinson et al, Sunny Jim, and the winter of discontent.

David Masu, Zürich,

Gordon promises to "listen and learn?"

Why has he not been "listening and learning" since he got into
No 10.

The answer was writ large by the public. They do not trust him!

albert hall, hove, england

My goodness, we are in trouble when people see an alternative in Boris the 'king of comedy'. Has anyone remembered that this is politics and it has a purpose? As for Ruth Kelly and Jacqui Smith losing their seats...would anybody miss them?

judy, Liverpool, England

Actually Renee is right, but only for recently. It was John Major who screwed over the economy, black wednesday, although when Labour did get in the tories had already got the economy growing again. All Labour has done is do a little work here and there and ride the wave of good economy.

Jeff, Windsor,

Brown could have clawed back some of his losses is he'd pledged to get off people's backs, stopped his "crackdowns" and rein in the jobsworths. What was the second world war for if not to defeat fascism and jumped-up Nazis-style gauleiters bullying and punishing us all the time? Labour must go now.

MarkS, Bath,

Labour, listen. Brown is so clearly out of his depth, unable to do anything but parrot doubtful statistics and platitudes. The only solution is for him to step aside and for there to be an election for leader and thence a new PM. And if he won't go, push him. It's your choice.

Mark, Reading, UK

Wake up Labour! We, the electorate, did not vote for Brown to be Prime Minister. He got the position by stealth & throwing his toys out of the cot. If a Prime Minister steps down the deputy should take over & there should be a general election within a fixed time period.

Mick K, B'ham,

Tony, Manchester.
Gordon Brown was not a good no.2. He bankrupted the country from the post of Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Richard, Alicante, Spain

Ken Livingstone had a innings for he was given three consecutive term, let see what Mr Johnson could do for Londoner's, both of my childeren's home i St Johnswood,and
paying very havy tax for good homes, i hope that something for
new mayor to look in to?

Cllr Ken Tiwari (Independent), Oxford , United Kingdom

I voted for Tony Blair to lead - not Gordon Brown.

Good No. 2's don't necessarily make good No. 1's.

A leadership vote has to determine who should now lead the Labour Party in view of the current state of affairs.

Tony, Manchester,

What really did it for Livingstone was the Lee Jasper affair.Londoners became fed up with the millions wasted in an attempt at buying ethnic minority votes.Nobody seems to have kept proper records of where or how it was spent,and the tax-payers have had enough.

Mike, Dunstable, England

Be difficult for Labour to blame THIS on Mrs. Thatcher.

tony airey, Manchester , UK

There is a tax lunatic in charge of the country. We might as wekk have a baffon in charge of London.

Mike, Gravesend, England

A sad, sad day for London. Ken was a dignified mayor and he made London a much better place. He'll be dearly missed especially when Londoners realise what a big mistake they made by voting in "Bumbling Boris". Give Boris a few months before the manifestations of his incompetencies begin to show.

John, UK,

Labour have been in power now for 10 years and only now are they starting to listen to people. They have spent billions (which has to be repaid with interest), dived into the state pension fund as reported by the Times and stole billions more. Now they are "listening." Why did people vote for them?

Rob, Chelmsford, UK

Gordon Brown has bleed this country dry, we have been taxed to poverty. Mr Brown may try and blaime the "Global" credit crunch for his problems, but his high risk gamble left the U.K. without a hope if there was a downturn. Your luck has run out Mr Brown, please please leave.

Adrian, aldershot, England

We used to have a mayor of Nice called Medecin. He reminded me a lot of red Ken.. Initially he served the city well but after long years of power he sank into self serving slease. When he crossed the line between coruption and crime he fled to Peru to sell T shirts. ..Hola Ken

andy , Lyon, France

Its time to call in the UN and get Brown out. Mugabe should be policeing us never mind Zimbabwe. At least the African was elected at some point in time.

Henry, London,

The people have voted and they do not want a big fat top down Labour government who only have two working policies which are increase direct/indirect tax burden to the middle classes and persecute the motorist. I will never vote Labour again, I saw what they did in the 1970's.

steve tea, manchester, cheshire

Labour signed their own 'death warrant' when Brown and his Cabinet members tried to justify the 10p tax cut. Millions have lost out and many will not be compensated. Those that are, for how long? The country has a conscience. Pity Gordon Brown hasn't. Will the Conservatives be any better- unlikely

barbara, north east,

Gordon Brown inherited his Premiership as if it was right of passage. He does not have a mandate from the country to govern. He is doing an appalling job as the Local Election results show. The country recognises this fact. He must now show his spine and go to the country. Call a General Election!

Tim Richards, SALISBURY,

Ken - even as a Tory, I am sorry that you lost. I think that you really tried your best for London.

As for Gordy and the rest of the parliamentary labour party, for the good of the country, just go !

Martin, London,

Renee, Windsor, United Kingdom. How wrong you are. The Consevatives have traditionally always picked up an economically destroyed country from the Labour Tax and Spend, Borrow and Spend philosophy and set it back on its feet, only to be voted out again after 2 or 3 legislatures.

Richard, Alicante, Spain

Brown can "listen and lead" by resigning forthwith.

Terry Dell, Weybridge, UK

"This Boris seems nice, but Clarkson would have been better!" - David, Lyon, France

You are right! The dreadful array of politicians we have to choose from - including ex-Blair - lack ability, honesty, integrity. and even a decent personality. At least BJ and JC have personalities.

Paul, Bristol,

Renee, Windsor, United Kingdom

You shouldn't believe everything that you are told at school dearie.

As Martin, Newmarket, Suffolk has pointed out, it took Labour 11 years to wreck the economy this time around - several years longer than its previous two attempts - but much more successfully.

Morvan, Saulieu, France

Martin, Newmarket, Suffolk. He actually started with the 5 billion tax-grab (now 6 billion or more plus dividends and interest) on pension funds from the first day. Then with his false inflation measure he destroyed the Sate Pension and wages. Then there is the credit fiasco based on cheap credit.

Richard, Alicante, Spain

Maybe i'm stupid but politics to me is a simple game. Most of us are honest and fair and all we want is a party that represents these basic values.

That means a tax regime that is fair. A health system that works for the masses and a penal system that locks up those who habitually offend. BINGO

Paul, London,

This is for the people hit by the 10p tax debacle, the people who have seen rises in food fuel and petrol and diesel prices, for the thousands needlessly killed in Iraq,the people who have seen the arrogance over the EU referendum. All of you retain some pride and call a general election. Some hope.

Kevincumbria, Penrith, Cumbria

Who ever asked Gordon to lead, it certaintly wasnt the electorate? we were stitched up at some seedy meeting in a london restaurant years ago. So Gordon, now is the time to show you have some leadership skills, go to the country and ask the peole for a mandate, or are you frit.

James, Southampton,

This entire election has become a crude 'Get Gordo' campaign and swept into office Tory doughnuts of all shapes and sizes. I give it a few months before the wheels of the Boris bandwagon fall off along with his mask of seriousness. My heart goes out to my fellow Londoners.

Ray Cobbett, Emsworth, Hants,

If Renee thinks the Tories messed up the economy in the first place, then she must have been living somewhere remote and totally out of touch for the last decade. The Tories left the economy in very good shape in 1997 and it has taken Mr Brown 11 years to run it into the ground.

Martin, Newmarket, Suffolk

It isthe economy stupid!

Costas, London,

London have you gone mad? You've just put Boris Johnson in charge of Billions of pounds of tax payers money. Can you not see the lunacy in that? BORIS JOHNSON!!!

Daniel Wright, Liverpool, UK

Gordies got the sadim touch, everything that was gold, turns !

wills, soton, uk

If he's still here he isn't listening..........

Henry, London,

The fact that Gordon doesn't take on board Ken's comments that this comes "at his own hand" is pure testimony for whil Gordon must resign now. Not that Cameron will be any/more/much/some better, but more for the fact that as the ex-checquor now PM it's 1-2-3 strikes you're out...at the old ball game

steve, Sydney, Australia

It's really quite simple. You can't tax people until they squeak, citing schools 'n' 'ospitals and then not deliver.

Get the local authorities and Police back under control and the floor is yours.

Pu Li, Guangxi,

To be told to "get a grip" by the likes of Hazel Blears is the ultimate humiliation!

Anthony Wright, London, England

Now will he realise that the 10p tax is an unfair one, and I don't know what he is supposed to have done to rectify it, but I wouldn't think it is going to help me, a pensioner, with a small rise from my private pension, that has now eaten into my normal amount by £120 per year! Disgraceful!

marina, hemel hempstead, Herts

Mr. Brown should be glad he is still a lot more popular than George W. Bush!

Andy, Sammamish WA, USA

This Boris seems nice, but Clarkson would have been better!

David, Lyon, Frace

Brown must resign. Now. It is the only honourable course for a man who was not elected by the country.

John, Colchester,

Londoners please mind the gap between leadership for London and endless gaffes. All change please, all change.

Cassandra, London,

Has no1 in london ever seen boris johnson on have I got news for you? obviously not otherwise people wouldnt of voted for him....

Chris, nottingham,

If I may wrest a quote from Jo Moore:

"It's a bad day; to Bury good news".

Natural justice.

Mike L, Chippenham, Wilts

So what are the Tories going to do to in order to improve the economy?!
I thought they messed up this country in the first place!

Renee, Windsor, United Kingdom

"Mr Balls said: "Voters have been cross with us. They think their tax bills are going up, their fuel bills are going up, their food bills are going up"
Which demonstrates the problem with Labour. We know prices are going up - Labour tell us we don't understand how well off we are thanks to them.

Bernard, Edinburgh, Scotland

Brown blames the economy......maybe he should also think about hmm lets see......immigration, fuel duty, knife crime, stealth taxes, education, msra in hospitals, wars, data security, smoking bans, taxing the poor, GP salaries, drunkenness, ever expanding civil service, student fees...etc

Sedgwick, London, UK

contrast ken's dignified 'mea culpa' with gordo's 'it all the fault of the worldwide economic crisis'

there you have the measure of them both.

ana, hong kong,

Ken, I wonder whether you would have lost this election if you had not been quite so determined to prevent suburban Tories driving around their own city centre without calling you to pay first?

Lawrence, London, UK

Ken did a wonderful job as Mayor and will be missed by many now, and a lot more once Boris has had a year or two. Absolutely gutted he won...

Lauren, Ilford, UK

Its a shame that the New Labour party never understood that you reap what you sow.

And they will find that it is a bitter harvest, having been shown to lack both principle and competence.

Good luck to Boris - keep it up!

nigel foster, ryde, uk

These comments on a defeat on this scale show how out of touch Gordon Brown has become. If he thinks this verdict means that he should "listen and lead" he hasn't listened hard enough. He should listen and go.

John Wisbey, Virginia Water, Surrey

Brown can blame the economy if he wants. But the fact is he has supposedly been in charge it for the last 10years. Overheated housing market, exponential increase in debt, spend more than you earn, excessive gvmt borrowing, job creation via taxation. These were all driven by his policies.

A Hariis, Ketteing, UK