BROWN DEFIANT AFTER CREWE ROUT

The Prime Minister said the public wanted the Government to address economic challenges. But he brushed off questions about his leadership.

Mr Brown said: "The message we are getting is people are concerned. They are concerned about food prices, concerned about petrol prices and concerned about what is happening to the economy." He said the Government was working towards addressing these problems.

The Prime Minister added that his task was to take the economy through difficult times ahead, saying: "The message is clear from voters people want us to address very real concerns."

He continued: "The message of the British public is clear and unequivocal. They want us to address these challenges."

He said the task he had been trusted with was to "take the economy through difficult times ahead". He added that we had to have "fairness for all and prosperity for the British people".

A jubilant David Cameron hailed the result as a another "remarkable victory".

The Tories overturned a 7,000 Labour majority to take the Crewe and Nantwich seat with a massive 17.6% swing from Labour.

The Conservative leader said the campaign marked the "end of New Labour". And he vowed that he would not betray the trust of the thousands of voters who turned out to vote Conservative for the first time.

He said that he would now work to put together a "broad coalition" to oust the Labour Government and secure a return to power for the Tories at the next general election.