ANALYSIS: Wounded Brown battles on in survival fight

London - After surviving a string of ministerial resignations, a humiliating election defeat and an attempted rebellion, Gordon Brown - down but not out - is battling on to save his premiership. Cartoonists portray the 58-year-old veteran politician, often described as the 'giant' of the Labour Party, as a boxer who is down but not out for the count - while uncertain whether the next blow will be the knock-out. Brown, while bruised, emerged smiling from a tense make-or-break meeting with Labour's parliamentary party (PLP), where a handful of backbenchers challenged his leadership openly, but an attempted rebellion fizzled out. Participants said a 'contrite and very honest' Brown had attempted to defuse the febrile mood by admitting to weaknesses and promising to change his ways towards 'more inclusive government.' But he had also warned his party of the risks of 'returning to he political wilderness' of long years in opposition if he was kicked out at the height of a recession, and one year away from the next general election. 'There is no serious threat to Brown,' said parliamentary party leader Tony Lloyd after the meeting. 'The moment has passed for now. The momentum was not there,' admitted a rebel. But others were more scathing, saying the party had clearly decided to 'go down with the captain on the bridge.' One critic said that, after the turbulence of the last 10 days, it was too late for Brown to be saved, because the 'electorate has made up its mind about him.' But, for the time being, Brown seems to have convinced the party that he is a survivor, drawing on depths of stubbornness, stamina and years of political experience. 'Brown may still be standing. But he has suffered some deep wounds, which could yet prove fatal,' said political commentator George Jones. The main reason for his stay of execution was the mauling Labour received in the European elections, where its share of the vote slumped to an historic low of 15 per cent. The sheer scale of the defeat had made it clear to many Labour members of parliament (MPs) that the party would face certain annihilation in an early general election. 'It has dawned on them that precipitating an early general election would be rather like turkeys voting for Christmas,' said Jones. Brown, meanwhile, was not out of the woods. 'The plotters have not gone away. They have just made a tactical retreat,' he said. If there was no sign of a recovery in the government's fortunes - and that seemed unlikely given the deep divisions within the party - then, 'like the Terminator, they'll be back.' The next danger period for Brown is the Labour Party conference in September, largely seen as the moment Brown could be forced out - or be persuaded to accept that he must make way for a new leader. With his authority weakened, the prime could now become a 'hostage of his cabinet,' forced to make compromises and concessions he would prefer not to make. Brown, said Jones, could soon come to be seen as the leader of a government who 'is in office, but not in power.'