Brown talks to key colleagues as Labour MPs call on him to go

In an email to party supporters, Mr Brown said Labour voters "heard our message above the roar of a hostile media and a very well-funded opposition."

He went on to thank the "hundreds of thousands of activists who took pride in Labour's record".

But he faced a growing revolt from his own party as former Minister Kate Hoey, MP for Vauxhall, and Bassetlaw MP John Mann both broke ranks to call for him to go; they were later joined by Graham Stringer, MP for Manchester Blackley.

The revolt came after polls showed 68 per cent of the public believe he should stand down.

Last night Mr Brown was holding crunch talks with key colleagues, including the Business Secretary Lord Mandelson, deputy leader Harriet Harman, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, who wrote the Labour manifesto, and Alastair Campbell, Tony Blair's former communications chief who has been advising Mr Brown during the election campaign.

Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough Labour MP David Blunkett stopped short of actually calling for Mr Brown to resign, but asked him to "do the right thing", while Rotherham Labour MP Denis MacShane endorsed Hull West and Hessle MP Alan Johnson for the leadership.

Writing in the Yorkshire Post today, Mr MacShane described the former Home Secretary as "the calm common man who would be a good Prime Minister to preside over a reforming 21st century-style Cabinet".

Despite the pressure, Mr Brown said it was his "duty as Prime Minister" to seek to resolve this situation.

In the email he wrote: "My resolve has not, and will not, change.

"I pledged to do everything in my power to fight for the people of this country – to secure the recovery, to protect their livelihoods and to continue to fight for a future fair for all.

"Let us not forget the passion of the hundreds of thousands of activists who took pride in Labour's record, and our vision for the future and then with unparalleled conviction acted upon it."

But Mr Stringer – a long-time critic of Mr Brown – last night became the third Labour MP since the election to publicly call for Mr Brown to stand down, warning that he was losing support in the party.

He said: "I've probably spoken to about 15 Labour MPs since the election – some of them who have been very supportive of Gordon over the last three years, some of whom have been closer to my position – and not one of them thinks he should stay on."

Mr Mann said the Prime Minister was now an obstacle to any possible agreement with the Liberal Democrats. He said: "In the real world, Nick Clegg would be crucified if he propped up Gordon Brown. Gordon Brown's unpopularity was a key factor in this election. That's the reality."

Ms Hoey said: "I think he must go and I don't think we will have renewal until we get a new leader.

"I think, deep down, most Labour Party members know that in a short time, one way or another, the Prime Minister won't be Gordon Brown and he won't be the leader of our party."

As negotiations between the Lib Dems and the Tories continue today, Mr Brown is effectively head of a caretaker administration. The Government is expected to remain in office until the Prime Minister tenders his resignation to the Queen.

Guidelines drawn up before the election by Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell state that Ministers should "observe discretion about taking significant decisions" which would impact on a new government.

These include taking major policy decisions, entering into significant Government contracts, or making senior public appointments.

Mr Blunkett said Labour will "regroup with great dignity" if a deal is struck between the Tories and Lib Dems.

Mr Blunkett said he believed David Cameron and Nick

Clegg would be able to "cobble together an agreement" and

Mr Brown would "do the right thing".

It was "not appropriate" for colleagues to call for their leader's resignation at this time.

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