Herman likely to succeed Brown in case of defeat

London: Gordon Brown is expected to step down quickly if Labour suffers a decisive defeat on Thursday — plunging his party into its first leadership contest for 16 years.

Labour insiders say the Prime Minister could be replaced by Harriet Harman, the deputy leader, as a "caretaker" while Mr Brown's successor is chosen — in a battle likely to last for months.

A group known as the "ultras" which includes Lord Mandelson, the Business Secretary and the man running Labour's much criticised campaign, is keen to install David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, as leader without a formal contest.

But this is unlikely to happen. Any move by Miliband is almost certain to be challenged by Ed Balls, the Schools Secretary, and probably by a candidate representing the Left of the party, most likely to be Jon Cruddas, the former challenger for the deputy leadership.

Ed Miliband, the Climate Change Secretary who is the favourite of many Labour MPs, faces an agonising decision over whether to stand against his brother David.

Last week, Labour morale suffered a blow after what one insider described as "36 hours of hell".

On Wednesday, Brown was caught calling Gillian Duffy, a pensioner and lifelong Labour voter, a "bigoted woman" during a trip to Rochdale, while on Thursday he failed to make a breakthrough in the final leaders' debate in Birmingham on the subject of the economy.

One senior Labour MP said "the life appeared to drain away" from Brown after his Rochdale gaffe.

His unguarded comments to a senior aide were picked up by a radio microphone he failed to remove after his altercation with Duffy, who questioned him on the government deficit and immigration.

"During the debate on Thursday night you could see the experiences of the previous 36 hours etched on Gordon's face," the MP said.

"He looked like he had been through the wringer — and he had."

Brown is said to have "been beating himself up" what he perceives as his failure to make any headway against David Cameron or Nick Clegg during the three debates.

In a further setback on Friday night, two national newspapers which had followed Labour in the past abandoned the party.

Gaffe: Duffy feels ‘sorry'

A widow dismissed by Gordon Brown as "bigoted" in a major gaffe just days before Britain's May 6 polls spoke out for the first time on Saturday — to say she felt sorry for the embattled prime minister.

Gillian Duffy, a lifetime supporter of Brown's Labour party, also told the Mail on Sunday she would not be voting on election day.

"I'm sorry for you, Gordon, because you have more to lose than me. I'm very sorry that this has happened but it's you who's going to lose out, not me," Duffy said she had told Brown when he went to her house to apologise.

When his comments were broadcast nationwide, Brown returned to Duffy's home to apologise in person.

— AFP