London - Labour's apparent worse-than-expected defeat in the British general election is a personal blow for its leader Ed Miliband and increased pressure Friday for the 45-year-old to step down.
Written off as a political insider lacking charisma just a few months ago, Miliband had won plaudits for his tough campaign style and some observers saw leadership material despite his awkward image.
Centre-left Labour was neck-and-neck with the centre-right Conservatives in poll after poll, helping bolster Miliband against Prime Minister David Cameron -- long seen as the slicker operator.
But results showed him far behind Cameron.
"If the result is anything like what it looks to be it would be a terrible disappointment (for Labour)," said Tony Travers, a politics professor from the London School of Economics.
The recriminations within the party were not slow in coming, with former minister Gerry Sutcliffe saying it was "time for someone else to take over".
The left-leaning New Statesman magazine cited a source at Labour headquarters as saying: "Ed has to resign tomorrow. Everyone here accepts that."
The Daily Mirror, which endorsed Miliband in the campaign, said in an editorial that the Labour leader had to resign "later today or tomorrow".
"Ed Miliband has to go after general election humiliation -- the only question is when," it said.
But Travers said it was possible that Miliband could stay on since "the Labour Party famously doesn't get rid of leaders, the Conservative Party is ruthless."
AFP
