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Cameron: If PM goes we need an instant election
Nicholas Cecil, Chief Political Correspondent30.07.08
David Cameron today demanded an immediate general election if Gordon Brown is forced to quit.
He stressed that there should not be a "period of months" between a new Labour leader taking over as Prime Minister and a national poll.
His intervention will be seen as an attempt to deny a "honeymoon period" to David Miliband, or whoever may succeed Mr Brown.
The Tory leader, on holiday in Cornwall, told the Western Morning News: "I don't know whether Gordon Brown will survive or not. All I do know is if he does go we really cannot have a third Prime Minister in two years, the second who has not been elected.
"If he did go there should be an election, in my view, straight away. Not after a period of months, but straight away and let people choose who should run the country." Mr Cameron also accused the whole Cabinet of failing, not just the Prime Minister. He said: "I don't think it's just about personalities. I think Labour are making lots of mistakes to do with policy. That's the whole Cabinet."
It was therefore "incredible" that some Cabinet ministers were being talked up as saviours of the Labour Party, he said.
Mr Cameron also defended the floral shorts he was photographed in while playing frisbee. Speaking to Radio 1 Newsbeat listeners in Newquay, he said: "I think my wife bought them, I think they're quite nice. They're Boden. She said you need some shorts. They're all right aren't they? What, a bit flowery? I've had them for years."
Reader views (5)
It is typical of Cameron......he just wants to get into 10 Downing Street ASAP, without any policies and without debate and he will play to the gallery with stupid calls like this to get there. What is he afraid of? Does he think a few months of a Milliband premiership will dent his chances? Well that does not say much about the confidence of his ability or of the public's real desire for a Cameron administration. The truth is much of the Tory's popularity is built on a global downturn and the anger of the voters of the government in charge during it. I too think an early election if Milliband takes over the leadership would be fair but saying it should be instant smacks of Mr Cameron being very scared.
- Karldbur, london
Surely, David, N10 the point is this would be two in a row...i.e.the second occasion on which Labour would foist their choice on the country...and is totally undemocratic.
- P Robinson, Koeln Germany
David - Gordon Brown is the John Major of this Parliament, not whoever succeeds him. Labour would have had two unelected PMs and therefore Cameron is right. Also, in his first term John Major never sank as low in ratings as Gordon Brown, Brown's ratings are like Major's in the mid 90s.
- Tom Moncrieff, London
The difference between this situation and Major is that Major was only the replacement of the PM and went to the country within 18 months and WON. We could be in a situation where we are on a replacement of a replacement and will have waited three years since the elected leader was overthrown.
It's irrelevant anyway as Labour have driven such a large wedge between themselves and the voting public that whoever gets the job will only be in power for less than two years. Harperson, Miliband, Jack the Knife are not going to get pulse racing. McDonnell or Cruddas will just destroy the party once and for all. Not even Bliar could save them now - especially as he was forced out of parliament to avoid his return.
- M Spanner, Ilford
If I remember rightly, we unexpectedly copped John Major as the new Conservative Prime Minister in November 1990 and didn't get an election until April 1992. And despite their deep unpopularity, terrible poll ratings and the UK being in the middle of recession, they won comfortably. Perhaps that is what Mr Cameron fears.
- David, N10
