Adrian Dix to stay on as B.C. NDP leader despite election loss

Embattled B.C. NDP Leader Adrian Dix says he will stay on as head of the party despite last week's surprise election defeat.

"This was an impossibly disappointing result," he said. "As leader of the B.C. NDP, I take full responsibility for this defeat."

Dixsaid the election campaign simply wasn't good enough to sway voters, and acknowledged his flip-flop on the Kinder-Morgan pipeline hurt the campaign.

"I didn't handle the issue very well," he said.

Dix said he has taken time to reflect and speak with party members since the election, and is committed to holding a comprehensive review of what went wrong.

"This review will spare nothing and no one, least of all me."

He said the party is gearing up for the upcoming legislative session and plans to keep its promise of holding government to account, adding the party is committed to winning the next provincial election.

"We will carry on, we will learn and get better and we will succeed next time."

NDP widely predicted to win election

Thisis the first time Dix spoke tomedia following a week of silence afterthe election defeat.

TheNDP went into last Tuesdays election with every expectation of forming the next provincial government.

Following the surprise loss to the B.C. Liberalswho took 50 of the provinces 85 ridings some within the NDP have called for Dix to take responsibility for the stunning loss and step aside immediately.

• Read more about the Liberals' surprise majority
• More from NDP Leader Adrian Dix on election night

B.C. Liberal Leader Christy Clark, meanwhile, has been on vacation with her son for the past few days.

Sheis scheduled to hold a news conference with her new MLAs elect in Vancouver on Thursday.

Clarkwill face questions about whether sheplans torun in a byelection in order to secure a seat in the legislature, and who will form her new cabinet.