Votes from Conservative MEPs helped to give José Manuel Barroso a clear mandate yesterday for a second term as President of the European Commission.

The former Portuguese Prime Minister won an absolute majority in the European Parliament despite strong attacks from the Left, who accused him of failing to do enough in his first five-year term to regulate financial markets and banks or to save jobs during the recession.

Mr Barroso won with the backing of 382 of the 718 MEPs who voted, leaving him in a strong position to run the body that initiates all EU legislation.

To win over the crucial swing votes of European Liberals and Greens, Mr Barroso promised to create three EU commissioners — for fundamental rights, migration and climate change — when the body is reappointed in the autumn.

The Conservatives backed Mr Barroso despite his support for a more integrated Europe and for the Lisbon treaty, which David Cameron has pledged to subject to a referendum if he can. Gordon Brown described Mr Barroso’s victory as a great result. “Under his leadership, the European Commission and Europe as a whole will continue to tackle the issues that matter to Europeans: jobs and growth, and the global challenges of security, poverty and climate change,” he said.

Labour MEPs defied Downing Street, however, and decided to abstain in the vote, accusing Mr Barroso of not doing enough for workers.