Labour holds North East in European elections
The Labour Party held on in the north east of England despite a slump in its vote at the European Parliament elections.
Victorious Labour candidate Stephen Hughes blamed the Westminster expenses scandal for his party's difficulties but said he was firmly behind Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
Conservative Martin Callanan and Liberal Democrat Fiona Hall were second and third respectively - retaining their seats.
The Uk Independence Party were narrowly beaten by the Liberal Democrats by just 13,000 votes.
The North East is regarded as one of Labour's strongest regions, although they have been under pressure in recent years from both the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats.
On Thursday the Conservatives won the mayor of North Tyneside election while the Lib Dems control both Newcastle City Council and Northumberland County Council.
Mr Hughes topped the poll with 25% of the vote, which was down on the 2004 figure of 34%.
"I am delighted that Labour has topped the poll despite everything that has been going on in the background during this campaign," he said.
"I have to say it has been a brutal campaign and I have never known so much anger on the doorsteps and understandable anger - anger and disappointment.
"But despite that, we clearly topped the poll and I think the Conservatives will be disappointed.
"They need to be doing far, far better than they have done this evening if they are to stand a chance of winning the general election."
Mr Hughes, who has been an MEP for more than 20 years, said he was firmly behind beleaguered Mr Brown.
He said: "I have said many times that we don't stab our leaders in the back. The Conservatives stab their leaders in the back.
"I think he is a good man and I think he should lead us into the next general election. I think to change Prime Minister at this stage would be ludicrous, quite frankly.
"It would signal to the electorate that we really are in total disarray, which we aren't. That's the impression that is being given.
"I think we need to reunite behind Gordon Brown and his attempts to clean up politics in Westminster."
Conservative Mr Callanan said it had been a good night and put his party on course to win the general election.
"I think it is a very good result for us. Our vote is up but, more importantly, we are winning in the places we need to win," he said.
"We are winning in Stockton, Redcar and Cleveland. Linda Arkley won the North Tyneside mayoral election.
"These are the places where the marginal Parliamentary seats are that we need to win in the general election, whenever Gordon Brown has the courage to call it.
"We are delighted with the results, both regionally and on the more council level. It's a tremendous result for us and puts us on course for a general election victory."
Fiona Hall, who was re-elected after first winning in 2004, said the Liberal Democrats were now the main challengers to Labour in the region.
"I don't think it was such a good night for the Tories and I think it was their expectation that they were going to overtake Labour," she said. "Clearly, they isn't a 'Cameron effect' in the North East at all.
