Opposition politicians stick by their leader after election defeat
SYDNEY, Australia Australian Labor Party members say Mark Latham should keep leading the group despite losing yesterday's election to the incumbent prime minister. Labor politicians aren't calling for their leader to step down, even though the party lost ground to John Howard's conservative coalition.
The Labor Party's national secretary says it wouldn't be "sensible" for the party "to go around changing leaders." He says "it never works at times like this." He added that Latham, the once widely unknown lawmaker is now a "clear, strong leader."
Latham's concession speech made no mention of accepting blame for Labor's defeat. He said "I'll see you again," indicating another possible run for the prime minister's post.
Howard is expected to retire before the next election in 2007.
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