Prime Minister Gordon Brown has been caught on microphone describing a voter he had just spoken to in Rochdale as a "bigoted woman".

Sixty five-year-old Gillian Duffy had challenged Mr Brown on a number of issues including immigration and crime.

As he got into his car, he was still wearing a broadcast microphone and was heard to say "that was a disaster".

Mr Brown later apologised after the tape was played to him as he was interviewed on BBC Radio 2.

After listening to the recording, with his forehead resting on his hand, he said: "I do apologise if I've said anything that has been hurtful."

The comments were made after the conversation with Mrs Duffy which ended with him complimenting her and her family.

Off camera, but not realising he still had a Sky News microphone pinned to his shirt, he was head to tell an aide: "That was a disaster - they should never have put me with that woman. Whose idea was that? It's just ridiculous..."

Asked what she had said, he is heard to reply: "Ugh everything! She's just a sort of bigoted woman that said she used to be Labour. I mean it's just ridiculous. I don't know why Sue brought her up towards me."

Mrs Duffy, a widow, said after hearing of Mr Brown's comments: "I'm very upset. He's an educated person. Why has he come out with words like that?

"He's supposed to be leading the country and he's calling an ordinary woman who's come up and asked questions that most people would ask him...It's going to be tax, tax, tax for another 20 years to get out of this national debt, and he's calling me a bigot."

She had earlier told reporters she was a lifelong Labour voter and described Mr Brown as being "very nice."

BBC News Channel chief political correspondent Laura Kuenssberg said this was "the worst moment of the campaign so far" for the Labour Party. Their tactic of putting him in contact with more "ordinary people" had "gone quite horribly wrong".

Speaking on Radio 2's Jeremy Vine show, Mr Brown said: "Of course I apologise if I've said anything that's been offensive and I would never put myself in a position where I would want to say anything like that about a woman I'd met.

"I blame myself for what is done, but you've got to remember that this was me being helpful to the broadcasters, with my microphone on, rushing into the car because I had to get to another appointment and they have chosen to play my private conversation. These things can happen, I apologise profusely to the lady concerned."

Gordon Brown has since telephoned Mrs Duffy to personally apologise for the comments, telling her he was very sorry and said she "is a good woman".

When asked did this in any way make up for the comments she said "no - absolutely not".

A spokesman for the prime minister said: "Mr Brown has apologised to Mrs Duffy personally by phone. He does not think that she is bigoted. He was letting off steam in the car after a difficult conversation.

"But this is exactly the sort of conversation that is important in an election campaign and which he will continue to have with voters."

The Conservatives said Mr Brown's comments spoke for themselves.

Shadow chancellor George Osborne said: "That's the thing about general elections, they do reveal the truth about people."

I've already voted Labour and this would not have made me change my mind. I do, however, think that this will do some serious damage and could very well cost them the election, especially given the gleeful way the press have jumped on this.

Immigration is a real problem in this Country.  People should not be labelled and insulted just because they have the courage to talk about it.  Perhaps if the number of immigrants had not doubled since 1997 levels, it would not even be an issue to talk about in the first place.

Referenceemantoid

During their earlier conversation, she had told the Prime Minister that she was concerned that vulnerable people were missing out on support while those who did not deserve them where able to claim benefits.

She went on: "All these Eastern Europeans, where are they coming from?"

Mr Brown said that a million Europeans had come to the United Kingdom, but that a similar number of Britons were now living on the continent.

Mrs Duffy told him that she felt that the issue of immigration was not being discussed properly for reasons of political correctness. "You can't say anything about immigrants," she said.