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Gordon Brown played down the damage to his electoral prospects today after The Sun withdrew its support.
The Prime Minister insisted that voters and not newspapers decided the Government, urging people to take a close look at his policies.
In a round of broadcast interviews, Mr Brown said: "It's the British people that decide the election, it's the British people's views that I am interested in."
He told GMTV: "I think Sun readers actually, when they look at what I say, they will agree with what I said."
Asked whether the tabloid's support could decide the next General Election, as it was reputed to have done in 1992 by condemning Labour's leader Neil Kinnock, Mr Brown replied: "No."
He added: "Obviously, you want newspapers to be for you. We would have liked everybody to be on our side, but the people decide.
"I've got an old-fashioned opinion that you look to newspapers for news not opinions."
The Sun's move - which ends 12 years of support for Labour since 1997 - came just minutes after Gordon Brown launched his political fightback with a policy-rich rallying conference speech.
The Prime Minister had set out an ambitious raft of promises aimed at wooing back voters ahead of the next general election
But the newspaper said he had failed to do enough to secure its coveted endorsement.
The timing of the public declaration of support for David Cameron's Conservative Party - which holds its own annual gathering next week - is bound to increase the pressure on Mr Brown's position.
The Prime Minister refused to rule out joining a televised debate with fellow party leaders but said it was "a question which has got to be dealt with nearer the election".
Mr Brown has been under increasing pressure to commit to a US-style on-screen showdown with Tory leader David Cameron and Liberal Democrat Nick Clegg, both of whom have said they would take part.
But the PM said he wanted to explain his policies to voters face to face before any such confrontation.
He said: "You do not rule that sort of thing out but, to be honest, the first thing to do is to explain to people how we are taking the country through this recession, the big decisions we are having to make, why they have been the right decisions, why other countries have followed we are doing and why we can guarantee them we are doing more about jobs and helping home owners than any other country in the world."
Mr Brown said he would shortly be embarking on a tour of UK regions.
"I want to get my policy across, I want to get round the country. I am going to be going round all the regions of the country in the next few weeks."
The Sun's front page switch of allegiance to the Tories after 12 years - headlined "Labour's Lost It" - was seemingly timed to overshadow the PM's crucial speech to the party conference in Brighton yesterday.
Mr Brown had tried to rally his troops with a policy which urged them: "Never stop believing."
He set out moves designed to satisfy the "values of the mainstream majority", including preventing teenage mothers getting council homes, free personal care for the most needy elderly, clamping down on drink-fuelled violence and families from hell and a one-week maximum wait for cancer tests.
Mr Brown responded to the furore over Westminster expenses with plans to shake up the democratic system, including a new power for constituents to recall misbehaving MPs, a referendum on voting reforms on General Elections and a commitment to a "democratic and accountable House of Lords".
He vowed that ID cards would not become compulsory during the next parliament, and promised to protect frontline spending on services - particularly schools.
A Labour government would also increase the minimum wage, child benefit and child tax credit every year in the new parliament, he said.
Mr Brown was given a standing ovation at the end of his hour-long speech, which generated much praise from colleagues and activists.
But the premier was quickly forced on to the defensive by the Sun's decision.
George Pascoe-Watson, the tabloid's political editor, said it had warned Labour at the time of the 2005 election that it was on its "last chance".
Mr Brown had not spent enough time yesterday talking about crucial issues like Afghanistan and law and order, he said, and some of the policy announcements appeared to be uncosted.
"We feel now after four years that they have failed the country and they are letting Sun readers down," Pascoe-Watson said.
"We do feel we have been impressed by David Cameron; of course, we will be a critical friend to the Tories as we have been to Labour."
The support of the Sun is a much-coveted prize. Tony Blair made it a priority to woo proprietor Rupert Murdoch as he looked to topple the Conservatives in 1997.
Just six weeks before Labour's landslide victory the Sun finally came out and supported Mr Blair.
Before that though the paper had been true blue - and a big supporter of Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s.
Reader views (15)
Typical of the sun to jump ship as the iceberg is about to hit!!
- Francis, Bexleyheath, 30/09/2009 23:30
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To Michael D'Ferrari, London
What leads you to believe that you get to design, introduce and administer a test for "right to vote"? This is one impressive piece of arrogance. Same one that in many places lead to outright exclusion of other arbitrarily defined groups not worthy of voting - women, people of colour... All on the same premise of yours - presumed inferior intelligence. A fine tradition indeed, especially for an implied Labour supporter 
Point is that just as much (or more) evil can come from arrogant intelligence... Huh?
- Legal Immigrant, London, 30/09/2009 21:04
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The press do not influence elections as much as they used to, given the huge range of media voters have access to internet now, and apart from 1992, the Sun simply tends to go along with whoever already looks like a winner. They wait until Cameron has a 17 point lead before switching their support to him and then try to make it look like they will be the major influence? Gimme a break..
- David, N10, 30/09/2009 18:56
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Funny but I do not know anyone who reads The Sun. Those who do, are seen leaving the Corner Shop, fag in mouth, beer cans in one hand, chip bag in the other, mobile phone tucked under the jaw, bald, staff puppy - studded collar, on a thick leash; knee length nylon shorts, and round the corner the missus, fag in hand, couple of small offspring, larded with make-up, tits and thighs well displayed, stilettos. Who would want to rise to power on a wave of Sun supporters!
- Patricia Vincent, bromley, 30/09/2009 17:50
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If they had a "fit and proper" person test for the right to vote all Sun readers would fail and we would not have the issue of one comic influencing the outcome of something as important as a general election.
- Michael D'Ferrari, London, 30/09/2009 11:14
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"I think Sun readers actually, when they look at what I say, they will agree with what I said."
Nice command of the English language there Gordo, educashun, edgucaytiun, edjucasun eh? I think your assumption that Sun readers care about politics is a bit far fetched, although if a footballer became an MP they might pay attention.
- Bob, Cheam, 30/09/2009 09:27
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The biggest rat is leaving the sinking ship.
- C. Nichol, London, 30/09/2009 09:02
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MY MEMORY IS GOING. WHO HAS BEEN AT THE HELM FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS?
WHO BACKED BLAIR WHEN WE WENT INTO A POINTLESS WAR THAT CAUSED THE DEATH OF 100000 PEOPLE?
WHO IN HIS EARLIEST DAYS RAIDED ALL PENSIONS BY STOPPING THE CLAIMING BACK OF TAX PAID ON DIVIDENDS ?
WHO TWICE IGNORED HIS OWN PARLIAMENTARY OMBUDSMAN WHO SAID COMPENSATION WAS DUE TO EQUITABLE LIFE PENSIONERS, SO MY OWN PENSION WENT FROM £7600 A YEAR RISING TO £2600 A YEAR fALLING.
WHO DID NOTHING ABOUT THE EXPENSES SCANDALS AT WESTMINSTER?
WHO FAILED TO SCARP THE HOUSE OF LORDS? WHO CREATED HUNDREDS OF QUANGOS?
WHY AFTER TEN YEARS IS THE NHS HOPELESS? I KID YOU NOT.
WHY IS EDUCATION WORSE THAN TWENTY YEARS AGO?
WHY ARE OUR CITIES SO VIOLENT?
WHO, WHO WHO, WHY, WHY , WHY? CAN I HAVE ANOTHER 10000 WORDS. THREE WILL DO. FOR PETES SAKE RESIGN .
- Alan Green, England. The forgotten country., 30/09/2009 08:58
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they're just abandoning a losing horse. nothing to do with ideology, though the absence of a convincing ideology is part of the reason for the losing horse being so very far back in the race.
- Scotty, london, 30/09/2009 08:48
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I didn't realise there were any papers that supported Labour (even the Guardian has been less than loyal to the cause), but I sure as hell never believed the Sun was anything other than Tory. Until Boris relieves Cameron of the leadership, the Tories have no real chance of forming the next Government - not even if they did a deal with Clegg to clinch a hung Parliament.
- Peace Maker, Battersea, 30/09/2009 08:36
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The 'last gasp' from a dying Labour.
- Mike Barry, Manchester, 30/09/2009 08:25
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Yeah, it's the Sun who'll stuff `im.
- Ted, London, 30/09/2009 08:02
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Haha who is this deluded man kidding?! Yes he's right in one respect - it IS voters who will decide what happens at the election......and they will decide to banish him and his ZaNu-Liebour regime forever to the stinking quagmire of socialist failure.
FOR ONCE GUTLESS, STOP DITHERING AND GIVE US A GENERAL ELECTION!
- Dan, London, UK, 30/09/2009 07:57
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It says a lot for the Sun that they will support a party without really knowing what at least some of their most important policies are (oh ... I forgot... Mr C is going to increase the price of food and drink in the commons to help clear the national debt).
Hopefully the public will be more critical of the policies of ALL the parties at the next election and we don't have the situation of "it's the Sun wat won it"!
- Chris, London, 30/09/2009 07:50
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You get elected on your record. They have one and it's incompetent, corrupt and downright self-serving. A useless chancellorship who caused the problem and is now going to save us. And last but not least Blair's lying to get us into a war. It appears that all good socialists are now either a millionair, a lord or a baron or baroness. Sir Freddie the Shreddie is just one example of Labour's stupidity.
- Frederick, London, 30/09/2009 07:42
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