Brown's ruling Labour Party scores low in local vote

London: Early poll results on Friday showed British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's ruling Labour Party recording its worst performance in three decades.

Some 4,000 seats on 160 councils across England and Wales were up for grabs in Thursday's elections.

With 88 councils having reported results, Labour had lost 109 seats while the Conservatives had gained 122.

Former minister Charles Clarke, a critic of Brown, suggested that a ministerial re-shuffle was required.

"We have to get the team which is right," he told BBC TV. "These are a real message to us from the electorate saying we don't like some of the things we've seen, you've got to get your act together."