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British PM wins respite as he faces down party rebels

Tuesday, June 09, 2009 LONDON: British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown faced down critics in his Labour party Monday, admitting weaknesses but pledging to change in a confrontation likely to win him some respite after a week of turmoil.After seven turbulent days which saw the resignation of 11 ministers, reports of an attempted coup and historic drubbings in local and European elections, Brown promised to fight on but said Labour must reunite. "I have my strengths and I have my weaknesses. I know there are some things I do well, some things not so well," he told a weekly meeting of Labour MPs.But he said: "You solve the problem not by walking away but by facing it and doing something about it." Labour was beaten into third place in Thursday's European elections, behind the main opposition Conservatives and the once fringe anti-Europeans the UK Independence Party (UKIP), in a humiliating defeat for the ruling party.The closed-door meeting on Monday night was the first time Labour MPs could confront Brown about the results, but while several former ministers called on him openly to quit, a reported rebellion failed to materialise.

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