London:
Manish Sood, the Indian-origin Labour candidate in the May general election who was suspended from the party after slamming Gordon Brown as Britain's 'worst prime minister', has apologised for his remarks saying he should have raised his concerns "more discreetly" .
Sood, 38, was suspended from the party after he refused to withdraw his remarks that led to considerable embarrassment to the party during the elections. He was the Labour candidate from North-west Norfolk seat, which he lost.
Publicly apologising for his remarks made on the eve of the May 6 polls, Sood told the media in Leicester: "I didn't realise it would cause so much havoc. It was the last thing the party needed just before an election".
Sood, whose mother Manjula Sood was Britain's first Asian woman Lord Mayor in Leicester, added: "I suppose that without all that negative publicity we might have won a few more seats. I stand by what I said, but not how I said it.
"Looking back, I should have raised my concerns more discreetly."
Claiming that despite his comments he was still a loyal Labour Party supporter, he said he had campaigned for Ed Miliband during the party leadership election.
Sood's suspension from the party means he is not on the selection panel for next year's local elections. He will remain suspended until an internal investigation into the incident is resolved.
Sood said: "I've been suspended and I just want to get it resolved as soon as possible."
A spokesman for the Labour Party confirmed that Sood was still suspended. He said several issues had to be resolved before his future could be decided.
In embarrassing comments, Sood had insisted that his comments that Brown's policies were a 'total disaster' reflected the opinion of many within the party.
He had said: "Immigration has gone up which is creating friction within communities. The country is getting bigger and messier. The role of ministers has gone bureaucratic and the action of ministers has gone downhill it is corrupt".
He went on to say: "The loss of social values is the basic problem and this is not what the Labour Party is about.
I believe Gordon Brown has been the worst Prime Minister we have had in this country. It is a disgrace and he owes an apology to the people and the Queen."
Sood, 38, was suspended from the party after he refused to withdraw his remarks that led to considerable embarrassment to the party during the elections. He was the Labour candidate from North-west Norfolk seat, which he lost.
Publicly apologising for his remarks made on the eve of the May 6 polls, Sood told the media in Leicester: "I didn't realise it would cause so much havoc. It was the last thing the party needed just before an election".
Sood, whose mother Manjula Sood was Britain's first Asian woman Lord Mayor in Leicester, added: "I suppose that without all that negative publicity we might have won a few more seats. I stand by what I said, but not how I said it.
"Looking back, I should have raised my concerns more discreetly."
Claiming that despite his comments he was still a loyal Labour Party supporter, he said he had campaigned for Ed Miliband during the party leadership election.
Sood's suspension from the party means he is not on the selection panel for next year's local elections. He will remain suspended until an internal investigation into the incident is resolved.
Sood said: "I've been suspended and I just want to get it resolved as soon as possible."
A spokesman for the Labour Party confirmed that Sood was still suspended. He said several issues had to be resolved before his future could be decided.
In embarrassing comments, Sood had insisted that his comments that Brown's policies were a 'total disaster' reflected the opinion of many within the party.
He had said: "Immigration has gone up which is creating friction within communities. The country is getting bigger and messier. The role of ministers has gone bureaucratic and the action of ministers has gone downhill it is corrupt".
He went on to say: "The loss of social values is the basic problem and this is not what the Labour Party is about.
I believe Gordon Brown has been the worst Prime Minister we have had in this country. It is a disgrace and he owes an apology to the people and the Queen."
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