LONDON, May 6 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Tony Blair has expressed his support for Gordon Brown to lead the Labor into the next general election, saying that the party can bounce back from its latest poll setbacks.

Writing in the News of the World newspaper on Sunday, Blair acknowledged the Labor had a fight on its hands at the next election but argued that the Tories' policies were a "not thought through".

"Gordon Brown by contrast is completely thought through," said Blair, adding "He has steered our economy from one of boom and bust to one of the best in the world."

"He didn't do it by choosing the easy way. He did it by sound judgment, holding his nerve and putting the long-term interests of Britain first." said Blair, who is expected to announce his resignation next week.

"At general election time, that is still the route to victory," he said.

Blair insisted Labor can bounce back from Thursday's heavy defeats at the polls.

It was the first time that Blair has given an explicit support that he will back Gordon Brown to replace him as Labor leader.

In Thursday's mid-term local elections across Britain, the Labor lost Scotland and gave ground to the Conservatives. And the Labor was ousted as the biggest force in the Scottish Parliament and was left looking for a coalition partner to keep power in the Welsh Assembly.