PM to keep focus on 'big issues'
Gordon Brown has said he would not be diverted from the "big issues" facing Britain as a humiliating reverse on Gurkhas' rights sparked claims his Government was losing authority.
The Prime Minister, who faces another Commons challenge, this time over his MPs' expenses reform proposals, was defiant during what one Cabinet colleague admitted was becoming "a bit of a week".
"As far as the day-to-day business of government, I just say to you we get on with it and we are dealing with the big issues and we are not going to be diverted," he said.
Earlier he had chaired a meeting of the Cabinet which discussed swine flu and the recession.
Some 27 Labour rebels joined opposition parties on Wednesday to vote for a Liberal Democrat motion to give all Gurkhas who have served in the British armed forces equal rights of residence.
Although the vote was not binding on the Government, the 21-vote defeat - extremely rare on an opposition motion - was a serious blow to the Prime Minister.
Mr Brown's authority will come under fresh scrutiny as he battles to rescue his package of interim changes to Westminster pay and perks - a major part of which he has already been forced to abandon.
Tory leader David Cameron said: "The Government is rapidly running out of political authority. By refusing to recognise our obligations to the Gurkhas, the Prime Minister misjudged the public mood and also misjudged what was right."
Business Secretary Lord Mandelson said the Gurkha vote had come as part of "a bit of a week" for the Government but denied the Prime Minister had lost his authority.
"It is indeed turning into a bit of a week. It never rains but it pours, it seems," he told BBC Radio 4's Today. "So I think we can all look forward to hopefully a more sunny bank holiday weekend."
