Party 'must own up to its mistakes'

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

Health Minister Ivan Lewis said that voters were becoming increasingly cynical about politicians who were not prepared to admit their errors.

At the same time, after Labour's drubbing in the local council elections, he said that the party needed to regain its discipline and focus on the issues that really mattered to the public.

"It is important in a world where politicians are mistrusted that we say that we made mistakes, not just Gordon's made mistakes, frankly, ministers have made mistakes and there are some backbenchers who have lost the focus of the public's everyday issues," he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.

"The message really is to Team Labour at Westminster, we've made some mistakes, let's acknowledge that, but let's get on with demonstrating that we can successfully take families and the country through what is a very difficult economic period."

Mr Lewis - the MP for Bury South where the council was taken by the Tories in the local elections - acknowledged that Mr Brown had admitted mistakes, particularly over the scrapping of the 10p rate of tax.

He said that the Government now needed to get back to dealing with the public's day-to-day concerns.

"The obvious thing is that we have had a bad few months and we have made some mistakes.

"But now the challenge is for us to unite, to be disciplined and focus on the everyday issues and realities that affect the people of this country," he said.