Why ever should anyone be surprised? He is a dour, unsympathetic character and over ten years has bled the economy white. He deserves his unpopularity and has no-one to blame but himself.

Julian Cox, London , England

I was in a bar in Dundee last night to watch Scotland take on Italy.When Gordon Brown was seen on television taking his seat at Hampden he was roundly booed by a large section of the people in the bar.However, when Alex salmond was seen he was cheered.
This is just a snapshot of public opinion I grant you, but if indicative of the views of voters Brown could yet become an electoral liability for the Labour Party.

martin, dundee, scotland

After Labour's broken promise to us about giving us a vote on the E.U constitution/treaty, I'm supprised as many as 35% would even consider voting for them.

Stephen Hanwell, Northampton,

I don't think it's just Brown or just the Labour party. Many people have lost faith in the political process, politicians and their ability to reflect public opinion. Brown came to power saying he would listen to the people-he hasn't. He inherited the stain of supporting the Iraq invasion under Blair and for overseeing so much wasted taxpayers money over the last 10 years that few people will forgive either. However, the Conservatives are tainted by the same support and are just Labour under a different colour. I have no faith in Cameron. The Lib-Dems are simply un-electable on a national basis and are currently directionless and leaderless. No party wants to tackle immigration, absorption by the EU or our over-population, congestion, daft benefits system etc. so politics is in a really perilous state. I'll vote far right next time.

Oxford Don, Oxford, UK

The sooner Brown and his bunch of inept followers go the better. The real truth about what has been going on in government and the economy over the last decade will be out before long - very interesting it will be too. People will then see Labour for the fraudsters they really are. Poor Great Britain - if it is to have any hope of returning to the country it once was this government have to go and soon.

Jenny, Rye,

The man sho sold our gold in an unnecessary fire auction, only to see its value subsequently rise to a record, deserves no medals for competence with the economy.

Brown was useless as chancellor and is proving to be even more useless as prime minister. The sooner this rabble are voted out of office the better.

Adrian Gilbert, Tonbridge,

considering the surprising and regrettable behavior of the foreign secretary during the saudi state visit which, like it or not, was very important for the uk economy and mr. brown's failure to organise a suitably senior replacement and his proposed package of counter-terrorism measures (which look like panic), it is beginning to look as if the pm has not got a grip on it.

bruce, cereste, france

The proof of the pudding is in the eating as they say and Brown pudding is turning into gruel. The big problem now for PM Brown is that Chancellor Brown was totally irresponsible with public spending and the PSBR. Having thrown billions at inefficient public services during the boom times, there is nothing left in the Government kitty to pump prime the economy during the coming downturn. Am I sad? Absolutely not! I want to see the back of this lousy labour so called government.

Richard, Worcester, England

The electorate will soon realise that Gordon Brown was an incompetent, overtaxing, and spendthrift Chancellor. His reputation for economic prudence will be shown to have been a complete illusion. It really is no surprise that he is making such a mess of running a government. The sooner Labour are thrown out of office the better for the future of the UK.

Derek Green, Shipley, Bradford, UK

Cameron the great treasury advisor and his chum Gideon in charge of our finances would be a disaster for this country. Little rich boys playing politics - a very frightening prospect. When it comes to the crunch of a general election they will be rejected for the faceless opportunists they are.

A Lewis, Caerphilly,

If he hadn't stolen my pension and doubled income tax for Britain's poorest workers, I'd feel sorry for Brown. He spent a decade chomping at the bit to become PM and then when he finally got the job he ballsed the whole thing up in about eight weeks.

Mike, Brighton, England

After ten years of a Labour government, midway through a third term,following a particularly bad time for the government and with the Lib-Dems vote temporarily falling away the Tory lead is 6 points !!! Well that's surprising isn't it.

David Dee, Canterbury,

Mr Brown lacks the key,rudimentary characteristic feature that all Prime Ministers must possess.... 'People skills'. I fear Mr Brown is severely lacking in this regard.I dont think it will be long before 'dark rumblings'will start to leak out of the Cabinet.

Andrew Myers, Luton, Beds

Tellingly, the collapse of Brown and Labour is assuming a kind of inevitability. Everyone now expects them to lose the next election and the Tories to win. In many respects, the moood is similar to those that prevailed prior to the 1979 and 1997 elections. We are witnessing a sea-change.

David Jones, Llandudno, UK

Labour MPs don' get it
We saw this man have a golden start,a honeymoon he could have only dreamed about , then in that cheap glib conference speech (remember British jobs for British workers) and political catastrophe over an election avoided and his graceless denial that it was even considered.His glowering rage when he has to take a hit in the House from David Cameron.The rank mendacity when he claims government without spin.
Brown's character has been laid wide open,he may be a political operator,practised over many years but he couldn't lead geese.A man, who if he cannot bully and bluster seems to have little to fall back on.
Remember the Campbell spin ," psychologically flawed " - we have seen it for ourselves now.

robert everitt, wolverhampton,

Gordon Brown doesn't look well. His hand was even shown shaking on tv a couple of weeks ago. Is he fit enough to even be prime minister ? Perhaps he should stand down on health grounds. If the Lib Dems elect Nick Clegg as their leader, then Gordon Brown will appear old and unhealthy compared to Cameron and Clegg.

Robert, Luton,

Have a look at the brilliant profile of Gordon Brown's stars on www.starchannel.tv this was posted some months ago!

Sue Normanton, Gloucester, UK

I can't believe these figures, I live in a working class area which was once solid Labour but I have yet to find anyone prepared to admit they support Brown or his puppet government anymore. I think the phrase "in the land of the blind the one eyed man is king" aptly describes Nu Labours Britain. God help us.

Cromwell, Leeds, England

i new this would happen, blair and brown went together like any of the other great partnerships. e.g
morcombe & wise, laural & hardy and the two ronnies
its just not the same with one, and he will realise sooner rather than later.

mike mckeary, paisley, scotland

Gordon Brown's only economic success came early when he maintained Tory economic policy & budgets. Once this filled his electio warchest he began his true old-labour Tax & spend to promote his own cause within the Labour party. Labour have no executive capability at ministerial level.. The vast increase in tax burden has been squandered under Brown's watch whilst he milked every opportunity to extend the number & degree of state dependants for his own political agenda. His failures range from selling the nations Gold reserves @ $200/oz-now approaching 1000/oz.; New Deal-£10bn spent to no avail; Northern Rock; etc etc

John Barkham, Buton-on-Trent, Staffs

I have to say I endorse, completely, my son's opinion (see above). Brown does not deserve the praise often heaped on him as Chancellor and it would appear he is not cur out to be PM.

Dr J Findlater, Carnforth,

Brown:
no talent
no competence
no vision

Michelle, Richmond,

The Northern Rock debacle and the governments response is all a bit like Nero fiddling as Rome burnt. They are not even considering nationalisation for crying out loud, all options should be on the table. How on earth did this bunch of incompetence hold on to power for so long? I think the answer must lie in one labour MP response, "He’s been lucky for 10 years". Well lets hope that luck has finally run out and we can get back to some real government

D Case, Newquay,

Why should Gordon Brown need any charishma,except for-
media hype, I don't like any political parties,but we have no
choice i suppose, I think if Godon Brown went to the country,he
will wipe the floor with all these,hiding behind the good English
names, Gordon Brown is from clegical background&scottish,
Althogh, Dave Cameron said at last conservatives-conference,
country before party,i only hope he meant-it?
Conservative is party is occupied by lots those who changed-
theyre names and even religeon,to get what they want,and that
frightens me:Cllr Ken Tiwari(Oxford UK)

Cllr Ken Tiwari, Oxford, United Kingdom

"It is one thing to be a chancellor and another to be a prime minister...."

That said, Brown should have seen the day coming when he'd be PM and in his previous role as Chancellor given himself some economic elbow room.

That he did not do so says loudly and clearly that he was a poor Chancellor and will make a poorer Prime Minister.

He had it easy as Chancellor. Brown never had to do anything as politically tough as, for example, Howe's 1981 budget. All Brown had to do was pick money out of a growing economy - the groundwork having been laid by Margaret Thatcher - and apply the money to somewhat wasteful public spending all the while claiming the good while putting off the bad.

Well, his chickens have come home to roost.

He deserves to be unpopular and he's a dog's breakfast of a PM like no one could see THAT coming.

Jim, Milwaukee, USA

Delighted to see Brown struggle. He is completely out of his depth. He was not the competent Chancellor many believe him to have been - time will demonstrate this. As Prime Minister he is obviously not fit for purpose. He should go now.

Jonathan Findlater, Dronfield, England

And when David Cameron gets into Number 10, how long do you think it will be before his honeymoon turns sour and he and the Tories start to get the kind of poll ratings which Brown and Labour are getting now? I shall watch this space with interest.

K Philips, London, UK

Brown, Cameron and Vince Cable are all loyal disciples of Milton Friedman, but Brown takes the rap as hardship has spread from the minority which were the victims of Thatcher, Major and Blair has spread to the smug majority.

Collapse of share prices is a collapse of asset values, and the government printing money replaces them, much to the benefit of "taxpayers" who would be very much poorer if Northern Rock and the other banks were indeed allowed to collapse.

A bit of simple arithmetic for Cable: GDP is over £1,000billion a year. At a p/e ratio of 20, that is £20,000billion. Even if it did go down by £100billion, not just transferred elsewhere, how would the majority feel it?

micah obviously hoped that the "Queen's" speech would be what he could claim was a disappointment, though few people thought it would be anything else. The more lack of "vision" the better, after the excess of Blair's gang. That at least is to Brown's credit.

Michael Moore, Stockport, England

"Now only 33% think he is doing well and 43% think he is doing badly, a net approval rating of -10 and a precipitous drop of 40 percentage points in a month." ... That high? I would have thought his real support is in single figures.

Edwin Thornber, Bucharest,

Brown is clearly struggling in his role as PM and the deficiencies identified by Blair and Alastair Campbell are now clear for all to see. He seems to have difficulty in making decisions himself and also to be unable to let others in his team make decisions, without his say so. His situation is not helped by the fact that his big political tent appears to be just full of clowns, with very little talent on show.
The Queens speech was a massive disappointment. The promised vision was not there and it is now becoming clear that Brown's only vision was to get into No 10, with no idea what to do when he got there .
Perhaps the greatest surprise has been the ease which Cameron has bested Brown on every appearance that he has made at the dispatch box and far from the clunking fist we were promised, Brown's performances have been both inept and ineffective.
Brown's government already looks old fashioned and tired. It feels like it would be a kindness to put it out of its misery.

micah, lagos, algarve

Hurrah and Yippeeeeeeeee!

Chris Salmon - currently working in USA, Davenport, USA, Florida

Does the cabinet now comprise a bunch of helpless, hapless controlled freaks?

Has the rusted fist so cowed his party that he has now has to write their speeches for them? What a busy man the PM must be, writing speeches for the Foreign Secretary and giving personal lessons to his security adviser on how to handle the media.

Jonathan Spencer, London,