Snap election talk 'nonsense'

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Douglas Alexander, who is also International Development Secretary, said the Conservatives had set the hare running to mask a "power struggle" within their own ranks.

But Mr Alexander insisted his party would be ready for the election whenever Mr Brown decided to go to the country.

Shadow foreign secretary William Hague said the Prime Minister would be in for "the fight of his life" once the campaign began.

Mr Alexander, who has just returned from a visit to Afghanistan, said he read reports that an election could be called this week "with incredulity".

He told BBC News 24 Sunday programme: "The claim that the Conservatives made that we are announcing an election this week, it's no surprise, is nonsense."

He added: "My job is to make sure our campaign, our party, is ready, whenever the Prime Minister decides to go to the country. I will make sure we are ready whenever the starting gun is fired, but I don't think it's a great revelation to say there's not going to be an election called in the next two, three, five, six days."

He added of David Cameron's Conservatives: "I would take with a pinch of salt stories they are putting out to mask their own difficulties."

Mr Alexander said: "There's a genuine power struggle taking place within the Conservative campaign. David Cameron did have a political strategy, he's been knocked off that strategy by the success of Gordon Brown."

Mr Hague told Sky News' Sunday with Adam Boulton programme: "It is our job to be ready for a general election. We would like to see a general election and for this country to get the change of government it really needs. We are ready for it. Gordon Brown, if he calls that election, is in for the fight of his life."