London  – Britain’s left-liberal Guardian newspaper, which has traditionally backed the Labour party, Wednesday called on Prime Minister Gordon Brown to step down because he had failed in government.

“The tragedy for Mr Brown and his party is that his chance to change it has gone … The truth is that there is no vision from him, no plan, no argument for the future and no support.”

“He is not obviously able to lead … Labour has a year left before an election; its current leader would waste it. It is time to cut him loose,” said the paper in an editorial.

The comments come amid signs of disarray in government ranks just a day before elections to the European parliament and important local elections in Britain.

On Tuesday, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said that she would step down in an expected reshuffle, while a number of junior ministers have also said they would go.

According to opinion polls, Labour expects a drabbing in the European and local polls following widespread voter disenchantment over a scandal involving parliamentary expenses.

The Brown inner circle in Downing Street was also rocked earlier this year by revelations that the prime minister’s chief press advisor had been emailing salacious and unproven gossip about opposition politicians – forcing his resignation and hurting Brown’s reputation.  (dpa)