GORDON Prentice warned that the Conservative party was in meltdown after winning Pendle with a drastically reduced majority.

But he warned that his own party needed to change its approach in the light of the disappointing turnout and dramatic downturn in the Labour vote.

Mr Prentice was given a real scare by Conservative Rasjid Skinner, who was eventually beaten by 4,275 votes. In 1997 the majority had been nearly 11,000 and Mr Prentice blamed the reduction on complacency. The turnout in Pendle was 63.59 per cent compared to 74.57 per cent in 1997 and 83.08 per cent in 1992.

"I am disappointed in the 11 per cent drop in the turnout," said Mr Prentice." I think the polls over the last four weeks, the expectation that the election was cut and dried, has depressed the turnout. Since I was first elected in 1992 turnout is down by a massive 20 per cent and that is a matter of concern."

"I will be saying to Tony Blair that the Labour government must run again with the people. We can't be pragmatic or managerial, as if we are running Marks and Spencer. The Labour party is a crusade or it is nothing," said Mr Prentice having won Pendle for the third time.

"I think it is an enormous privilege to represent the constituency I love in Parliament and it is a privilege I feel as strongly now as I did in 1972 when I was first elected. The Conservatives are suffering a melt-down nationally and I think there is going to be a reconfiguration of politics in Britain after the election," he added. Mr Skinner thanked the other candidates for what he described as a "clean fight" and said he believed the swing in the Conservative's favour would be about twice the national average. The Liberal Democrat vote -5,479 - was almost identical to the figure four years ago - 5,460 - and candidate David Whipp thanked the voters who had helped him increase the share of the vote.

"In Pendle and across the country people have respected the honesty and the principles that the Liberal Democrats stand for," he said.

Graham Cannon, UK Independence Party, congratulated Mr Prentice but warned that the powers of Parliament would be diluted by Europe.

"Unfortunately he has been elected to Westminster which will soon become the museum to democracy when it loses all its powers," he said.

Chris Jackson, the British National Party candidate, left the count without addressing the gathering.