THE British Labour Party warned last night it could still force a vote of confidence in the government within weeks, despite losing a censure motion on Monday night.
The party's deputy leader, Mr John Prescott, said Labour would be taking "every opportunity" to force an early election. He predicted that if the party won the Wirral by-election on February 27th and put the Conservative government into a minority of one, Labour would consider a vote of confidence.
Despite the British government's winning the censure motion - which criticised the way the Agriculture Minister, Mr Douglas Hogg, handled the BSE crisis - by a 13-vote majority, both sides were claiming victory yesterday. However, all the political parties agreed that the result had improved Mr Major's chances of calling a general election on his preferred date, May 1st.
The Liberal Democrat leader Mr Paddy Ashdown, suggested the result "may paradoxically have had the effect of strengthening the government" and criticised Labour for failing to discuss the motion or its tactics with other opposition parties.
A Downing Street spokesman said Mr Major was "quietly satisfied" by the victory.
The deputy Prime Minister Mr Michael Heseltine, declared that Labour had "made fools of themselves" and said Mr Blair had left the chamber before the vote had been announced.
"The moment there's a whiff of danger he disappears. I was amazed that Tony Blair left John Prescott out to dry and disappeared from sight. He was supposed to be leading the troops," he said.
Agencies add:
The British government last night succeeded in reversing a crucial defeat in the Lords over its crackdown on handguns after the Dunblane massacre - despite fierce criticism and a rebellion by pro-shooting Tories.
The Home Secretary, Mr Michael Howard, had to rely on Opposition backing to overturn a Lords amendment allowing owners of .22 weapons to keep "disassembled" guns at home, providing the working parts were stored separately in clubs. Voting was 394 to 115, leaving a government majority of 279.
Meanwhile yesterday Mr Blair said he wanted to encourage millionaires such as composer Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber to stay in Britain if Labour won the election. "I want a culture of entrepineurial success that rewards talent," he told entrepreneurs at a breakfast in London.