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Blair suffers local poll defeatConservative wins in England may up pressure on PM
 Officials from the Liberal Democrat, Conservative and Labour parties monitor voter turnout at a south London ballot center. YOUR E-MAIL ALERTSLONDON, England (CNN) -- British Prime Minister Tony Blair's embattled Labour Party suffered major losses in local elections in England, which could increase pressure on Blair to announce a date for stepping down as prime minister. Dogged by a string of recent controversies, Labour had a net loss of more 135 seats in balloting for 176 local government councils across England on Thursday. The opposition Conservatives, under their new leader, David Cameron, were sweeping the largest number of seats. In the wake of Labour's dismal results, British media were reporting Blair would reshuffle his Cabinet Friday. During his campaign for a third term last year, Blair pledged not to stand again as party leader in the next general election. But that election isn't expected until 2009 or 2010, and he has so far refused to be pinned down on a date to step aside. With results reported from 120 of the 176 local government councils, Labor had suffered a net loss of 135 seats, while the Conservatives had made a net gain of 133, according to Britain's Press Association. Labour also lost majorities on nine councils the party previously controlled, the PA reported. Also, the British National Party, a small far-right party with an anti-immigration platform, picked up 12 seats, the PA reported. Thursday's vote marked the first test for Cameron, a telegenic 39-year-old who was picked in December to try to lead his once-dominant Conservative Party out of nearly a decade in the political wilderness. The local election came amid a nasty row over revelations that more than 1,000 criminals from countries were released from British prisons without being considered for deportation. Blair has resisted demands from opposition parties that he sack Home Secretary Charles Clarke, whose department was responsible for the releases. As that controversy was brewing, Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott was forced to acknowledge that he had an extramarital affair with a woman in his department after photographs of the pair were splashed across tabloid newspapers. Police are also investigating whether seats in the House of Lords, the unelected upper chamber of Parliament, were doled out to financial backers in return for loans to the Labour Party. And Blair and his ministers have also had to deal with fallout from controversial health service reforms that recently prompted nurses to publicly boo and heckle Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt. Blair, 52, became prime minister in 1997, after leading his party to a landslide victory that ended 18 years of Conservative rule. He was re-elected in 2001 and then again last May, becoming the first Labour leader to secure three terms in office. However, with his popularity sapped by his support for the invasion of Iraq and close alliance with President Bush, Blair's 2005 victory was somewhat anemic. Labour captured just 35 percent of the vote and lost 47 seats, although it still maintained a parliamentary majority. Blair's replacement as Labour leader is widely expected to be Gordon Brown, 55, who oversees fiscal and budget policy as chancellor of the exchequer. Up for grabs Thursday were 4,360 seats on 176 local councils across England, including London. There were no elections in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. CNN European Political Editor Robin Oakley contributed to this report. 
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