Brown weighs up election gamble

LONDON, Oct 6 (KUNA) — British Prime Minister Gordon Brown was facing the toughest choice of his political career this weekend as he weighs up whether to gamble on an autumn general election.
Speculation that he is set to go to the country early was fuelled yesterday when it was confirmed that two key Commons statements would be made early next week, commentators said.
That leaves it open for Brown to ask the British Queen Elizabeth this Tuesday to dissolve Parliament – the last day he can do so if he wants a much-vaunted November 1 poll.
But his final decision is almost certain to be based on public and private opinion polling – with the latest figures showing a post-conference revival for the opposition Conservatives, the commentators noted.
Brown will update MPs on the latest situation in Iraq this Monday, a week after controversially travelling to Baghdad to announced the withdrawal of 1, 000 UK troops.
And the following day, Chancellor of the Exchequer, (Finance Secretary) Alistair Darling will deliver the Pre-Budget Report and Comprehensive Spending Review.
Brown will spend the weekend at Number 10 and Chequers, his country residence outside London, weighing up with close allies whether or not to risk going to the country just months after taking over at Downing Street.
Polls yesterday showing the Conservatives narrowing Labour’s lead – and in one case eliminating it altogether – have cast doubt over whether Brown he will take the plunge.
A Guardian newspaper poll put Labour and the Conservative tied on 38 percent, a Times newspaper survey put Labour three points ahead on 39 percent and the commercial TV, Channel 4 News poll reported a four-point Labour lead, by 40 percent to 36 percent.
The findings, taken in the wake of Conservative Leader David Cameron’s unscripted address to the Conservative conference on Wednesday and shadow chancellor George Osborne’s plans to slash inheritance tax and stamp duty, mark a significant drop for Labour after last week’s leads of as much as 11 percent.
The Conservative leader attempted to force the issue yesterday by demanding meetings with senior civil servants to discuss the potential implementation of his party’s policies.
By convention, opposition politicians are given the chance to meet top officials ahead of a general election to discuss how their proposals would be put into force if they gained power.
When he received no immediate reply from Brown – whose spokesman said he would give an answer “at the appropriate time” – he wrote directly to the head of the civil service instead.
He told Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O’Donnell he would not let the PM’s silence “get in the way” of preparations – in a move seen as a bluff to force Brown’s hand, the commentators added..
A Cabinet Office spokeswoman said, “Pre-election contact has not been authorised and there are no planned meetings between shadow cabinet members and senior officials at this time.” Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell has also written to Brown, demanding he put an end to the speculation and warning that it was damaging the country.
“All the indications are that the government, both in public and private, has deliberately encouraged the belief that an election is imminent,” he said.
“That has meant the management of government business has been in the interests of the Labour Party, not the public.
“The British people have been badly served by this uncertainty and partisanship. It is now time for you to put an end to the speculation by stating your intentions clearly and unequivocally. The British people are entitled to nothing less.” Sir Menzies said there was now an “overwhelming case” for fixed-term parliaments of four years to remove the power of the Prime Minister to decide the date of elections.
A poll for BBC TV Daily Politics show found most voters (57 percent) agreed Brown was putting Labour’s interests before the country if he chose to call an early election.