UK's Brown in election mauling

May 2 - Britain's ruling Labour Party has slumped to its worst local election defeat in 40 years.

The results are a blow of the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown in his first test at the polls since taking over from Tony Blair.

Brown ascribed his poor showing to the effects of global economic turmoil, while the leader of the resurgent opposition Conservative Party, David Cameron hailed his party's success.

The centrist Liberal Democrats, traditionally the third party in UK politics, scored ahead of Labour with two thirds of results declared.