Gordon Brown: The low-down

Since taking over as Prime minister from Tony Blair in June 2007, things have gone from bad to worse for our poor PM.

On entering office, Mr Brown promised to try his "utmost" to tackle "what matters to the British people".

Has he delivered? Lewis is a Politics student at Newcastle University and thinks Mr Brown is doing pretty well.

Lewis sees Brown as "a very intelligent and passionate man" and believes he is a really good PM.

"He is a good, decent man," Lewis continues, "who really does care - perhaps too much".

Rachel is in her second year of university and took Government and Politics at A level.

She disagrees and says it's all been downhill for Brown since he accepted the job.

"I don't believe the cabinet was 100% behind him to begin with," Rachel said "and that's not a good start."

However, Lewis believes that the PM's concerns for social justice and equality are what motivate him.

Brown is, concedes Lewis, perhaps a little misguided, lingering too long on issues more appropriate for junior ministers.

Gordon Brown's done a good job of putting people off [and] people are starting to stray to Conservative. God help us.

Rachel Convey, Student

"I like too, the way he isn't 'flash' like Blair and Cameron," continues Lewis "we don't need a 'flash' Prime minister, we need someone who can cope".

But whether he can cope is evidently the issue at the heart of the problem.

Though, as Lewis points out, Brown is arguably the best Chancellor we have had - having served over the longest period of economic growth the country has seen - does Gordon have what it takes to climb back atop the political rodeo bull?

"People are beginning to stray to Conservative," observes Rachel "even with Cameron as leader. God help us."

"I would like to think [David] Milliband would be the new PM, young like Blair and reflecting Obama in the US".

"Gordon Brown's done a good job of putting people off which makes me question whether Labour have it in them to win an election, regardless of their leader."

The outcome to the current political situation is yet to be seen but what can be certain is that things aren't looking good for Gordon.

Big changes are needed to convince the British public that Brown is the right man and hopefully, for Brown and his team, that change will come before the next election.