Unused to the glare of government, the Liberal Democrats had anyhow forfeited support by sharing office with the ideologically distinct Conservatives, accepting policy retreats they would once have resisted.
Although business has no vote, in forfeiting its support, Mr Brown may well be scuppering his chances of re-election.
James P. Rubin, the State Department spokesman, arrived in Kosovo today with a tough message, warning Albanian leaders that they were losing the respect of their backers in Washington and Europe and risked forfeiting Western support if they did not do more to stem ethnic violence.
A heavy-handed approach will forfeit public support.
After eight years of authoritarianism and broken promises, General Musharraf has forfeited the support he once enjoyed among ordinary Pakistanis, educated professionals and even fellow military officers.
On the other side, the Chechen militia bands have done much to forfeit whatever support they may have once had among Russian liberals or in the outside world.
But Mr Mugabe has forfeited international support for land reform: the seizure makes nonsense of the assurances that his government gave international donors, including the World Bank and the IMF, in September.
In an interview yesterday, James C. Dobson, a nationally known psychologist whose radio broadcasts reach five million Americans, said Mr. Bush would forfeit the support of many conservatives if he chose a vice-presidential candidate who favored abortion rights.
By having Nato on their side, they forfeited any support from the hard left – now oddly in deep fraternal relations with those who reflexively see Serbia as the victim of an imperialist plot.
Following this, the whiskey ring announced Beckham had forfeited the support of Louisville's legislators.
