Embattled British Prime Minister Gordon Brown faces more potential poll humiliation — as Madame Tussaud's waxwork museum on Tuesday opened a vote on whether they should bother making a model of him.

The London tourist attraction said Brown's office had failed to respond to requests for a sitting, so they were now asking punters whether they thought he should be represented alongside other world leaders.

And — given the battering his governing Labour Party took in local elections last week — maybe he would not be in power long enough to make it worth the effort, general manager Edward Fuller said.

Madame Tussauds chiefs originally stalled on making a waxwork of Brown when he took over from Tony Blair last June, as he was not elected into office.

But when visitors asked where the British premier was, they decided to ask Downing Street for a sitting.

"Since then we have had no response and, reflecting the climate after the government's performance in the recent local elections, our guests have become decidedly split about whether we should feature Mr Brown at all," he said.

He added: "There are those who think the UK prime minister should be here, regardless of whether they have been voted in to office.

"However an increasing number are telling us that Mr Brown should not be included unless the British public elects him. Well, we're giving them the chance to do that."

Brown's ruling Labour party suffered its worst poll defeat in 40 years in local elections last Thursday, even losing control of City Hall in London.

The public has until next Tuesday to register opinions either at the museum or online as to whether Brown should be immortalised in wax.

» Click here to cast your vote

AFP