Federal Election 2013: Labor loss sparks bitter backlash against Kevin Rudd and ALP Federal member for Sydney Tanya Plibersek embraces one of her staffers, Jill Lay, at the election after party at the Woolpack Hotel in Redfern. She retained her seat. LABOR'S election trouncing has triggered a bitter backlash against Kevin Rudd's "dysfunctional" campaign style and the ALP's backroom machine. As multiple seats fell during a dark night for Labor, senior frontbenchers vented against the leadership ructions - claiming they had alienated voters and contributed to Tony Abbott's emphatic win. Criticism was also levelled at Mr Rudd's key political adviser, Bruce Hawker, while retiring senator Trish Crossin hit out at the ALP's national secretary George Wright - and called for heads to roll in party HQ. Tanya Plibersek, who easily retained her seat of Sydney, said voters had marked down the ALP due to its internal ructions which had overshadowed its achievement. I think I would give us nine out of 10 for governing the country. I'd give us 0 out of 10 for governing ourselves," she said. I think it's pretty plain we had too many people playing their own games and not playing for the team. Even before Mr Rudd announced he would not recontest the leadership, frontbencher Jason Clare, who fended off a Liberal challenge to hold his seat of Blaxland, said the ALP needed a new leader after voters have "thrown us out tonight." "My view is it's time for generational change and we need to put the Rudd and the Gillard era behind us," Mr Clare said Blaxland Labor MP Jason Clare at a polling booth at Condell Park Public School. We've got to listen to what people have said. That involves putting Rudd behind us, that conflict, that division that destroyed this government, that dance of death between Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd. Peter Beattie, who failed in his bid to win the Queensland seat of Forde, also blamed the leadership ructions for the hefty swing away from Labor. Early last night, he tweeted as if he had already conceded defeat. "We all know disunity is death in politics," he said. The former Queensland premier cited the Coalition's use of placards featuring a photo of Mr Rudd and Ms Gillard, with the tagline: "Remember." "That is where the damage was done," he said. Labor candidate for Forde Peter Beattie refuses to concede at his party office after polls close. Picture Jono Searle Source: News Limited Chris Bowen, a close ally of Mr Rudd's and the Treasurer since late June, conceded the election result was a "verdict on disunity" but stopped short of endorsing calls for a complete leadership change. Chris Bowen MP, Federal Member for McMahon, at his Electorate Office in Fairfield West. Former Labor minister Greg Combet lashed out at Mr Rudd, blaming him for Labor's defeat.. I think it is important that Labor has a very, very good look at itself. You can't have two people in a political party vying for the leadership, undermining, going on, conniving with journalists and News Limited to damage your own party, to down your own vote, undermine your own leader, you know and criticise colleagues in the press, you can't do that," he said. An intruder at the microphone shakes the hand of incoming Prime Minister Tony Abbott after his election victory speech, then poses with his family for photos, before being tackled by security. But it wasn't just the leadership divisions triggering the backlash last night. Labor figures were highly critical of the campaign run by Mr Rudd and his senior advisers, with Mr Hawker - an experienced political consultant - receiving sharp criticism from several figures. "There's a lot of people out to get Bruce Hawker," one ALP figure said. Ms Crossin called for heads to roll in Labor's national headquarters, starting with Mr Wright. Mrs Crossin said Labor had focused too much on social media and neglected the main game of mainstream media, letterbox drops and providing website information. Senator Trish Crossin called for heads to roll. But the Rudd supporter insisted the Prime Minister should not be held responsible for the loss given his late resurrection. "It was headed up by George Wright for a long time now and I don't think he was on the money," Mrs Crossin told News Corp Australia. Just look at the Labor Party website. I cannot find our climate change policy and I can't see a how-to-vote card on any state or national site. Most of the material I saw coming through my office - it was not attractive. It was very negative. People say to me, "how much have you had in your letterbox. Nobody says how many Facebook posts or Tweets. Craig Emerson and Julia Gillard pictured in Canberra. Craig Emerson, a former minister and close ally of Ms Gillard, was another figure to blame the leadership ructions for the loss. "It's clear (from) the exit polls that the top issue that concerned voters was leadership," he said. But Darren Cheeseman, the defeated Labor MP for the Victorian seat of Corangamite, was not willing to blame the leadership issue for his own loss. Instead, he said there was a strong "mood for change" in the electorate, adding that his vote was "certainly higher" than it would have been under Julia Gillard. I think the campaign was run in a strong way. I have no complaints," Mr Cheeseman said. Election Day 2013. Darren Cheeseman's Corangamite election-night event. Darren at election night party to concede the seat of corangamite to sarah henderson.