'I feel your hurt', Brown claims

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In a bid to restore his battered authority, Mr Brown took to the TV studios to insist he understands voters' worries over rising prices and economic uncertainty, saying: "I feel the hurt they feel".

The Prime Minister's attempt to launch a fightback came against a backdrop of open speculation among Labour MPs about his future as party leader.

Former minister Frank Field warned he was ready to restart a backbench rebellion against the abolition of the 10p tax rate, which ministers have blamed for the drubbing administered by voters this week.

The Prime Minister acknowledged he had made "mistakes" over the 10p rate and allowing speculation about a snap election to get out of hand last year.

But he told BBC1's Andrew Marr Show: "Of course we can recover from this position and I will tell you how. First of all by sorting out the immediate problem with the economy and showing people we can come through, as we have in the past, very difficult economic times.

"Secondly by showing people we have a vision of the future that will carry the country - optimistically in my view - into its next phase."

Assessing Labour's ballot-box mauling, which culminated in Boris Johnson's defeat of Ken Livingstone in the London mayoral election, Mr Brown said: "I feel responsible. There are no excuses on my part at all."

Mr Brown said he did not believe "many MPs" were discussing his future as leader, and dismissed suggestions he might stand down before the election expected in 2010, saying: "There's still a job to do."

With Labour MPs feeling nervous about the safety of their seats, the PM is coming under pressure from all sides of the party to refocus his appeal to voters.