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GORDON BROWN could call an election next June in the hope of benefiting from a "recession bounce", allies have revealed.
The Prime Minister is said by several insiders to be "seriously considering" a poll on 4 June, to coincide with the local and European elections on a "Super Thursday".
After the fiasco of the cancelled election last autumn, Number 10 is highly nervous of speculation about a date, and aides have instructed senior Labour figures not to discuss it in public.
An early vote would also open Mr Brown to the charge of a "cut and run", with tax rises to follow. But the appetite for an early election has sharpened in the past few days as the Conservative poll lead has fallen to three points and ministers relish the new sharp divide on the economy between the parties.
"If he can close the poll lead towards level pegging and keep it there for a few months, he is very likely to go for it," said one Brownite. Another ally said: "He would be mad not to think about it. The date really selects itself if you look at the options. Gordon will have had the G20 meeting in London in April, which will show him chairing the most important forum in the world economic crisis - and there will have been some time for the fiscal stimulus he is proposing to come through, and the divide with the Tory position to be argued out." Mr Brown is planning to ally himself closely with Barack Obama, who is also planning a huge fiscal stimulus in the US. The new President's first visit to Britain would provide Mr Brown with an opportunity to lay claim to the mantle of statesman for difficult times.
A May option, a source said, is ruled out now that the European and local elections are to be held on 4 June.
Others suggest that by going to the country in the first half of next year, Labour is less likely to be punished by an electorate dispirited by a lengthy recession.
"There is now a strong body of opinion that this would be ideal timing and that Gordon could win in June," said one party official.
Many in organisational roles with Labour are, however, traumatised by recollections of last year's cancelled election and reluctant to applaud the idea. A senior Labour frontbencher in the Lords said that an early poll would open the party to a charge of opportunism. "The common sense of the majority in the Labour Party is against it and they will prevail," she said.
"I think we will be coming out of the recession by 2010."
One Labour official added: "Gordon hates to be boxed in. If he thinks everyone is expecting him to go for 4 June, he will want to keep his options open for a snap election in April. The G20 meeting would be a kind of coronation for him in that case. He is determined to keep an element of surprise."
Mr Brown today told BBC Radio 2's Jeremy Vine show: "My undivided attention is on the economy. I'm actually not thinking about anything related to internal politics. I'm not thinking about anything else."
Reader views (33)
He should call it now - by next spring we will be screwed and he can forget any bounce. He and the other NuLabour traitors will be out on their ear. The public, by then realising how much trouble they are in as they queue at the dole office, will vote for anyone but. Hopefully all the NuLabour apologist traitors will go the same way.
- Tony, London
cant wait for brown to go to see who will carry on the lies& deceit
- Phelps Robert, bussiere poitevine 87320 france
Yes but the Conservative lead is actually 11% not 3% and ICM, its source, has more rigorous methods of data collection than other pollsters. There has been little Brown bounce and Labour, at best, are seen to be thriving only in chaos. Bring on the election, yes please, but don't hope for too much if you support Brown.
- Chris Kay, Marlborough UK
Regretfully the people in the UK will vote for Brown in June as most Labour thinkers don't.
- Aristotle Cohen, London, UK
Yes he should call an election....we all deserve a chance to throw out this spiv!
- Mark, London
Well Bean Brown has never been elected. His "government" (if you can call that bunch that way?!??) is doomed.
- Steveo, London NW1
They are bottling it again... How long can we have this un-elected "government"? Crash Gordon should go he should be ashamed of himself.
- Georgie, Islington, London
I will never trust Gordon Brown or his party ever again. He promised us a referendum on the Treaty, but just stuck his two fingers at us. How arrogant and self-righteous this person can be. People don't forget! So bring it on Gordon.
- Theresa, Cardiff
I am sick of unelected Mandelson controlling unelected Brown and using Darling as a puppet to do their spinning and half truths. An election is needed NOW, not June.
Lets get rid of the lieing Nulabor for good.
- Michael, London
I hope people remember it was Labour that put us in this sitution, spending all the reserves, selling the gold etc, and therefore do NOT put them back in power.
- Nl, london
-Joe I agree with everything you say
- Jolyon, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
Brown and Darling the Laurel and Hardy of British politics.
- Mark A, london england
Gordon knows he'll have no cash after June so he wants to hold it then, and if he wins he'll be in for another 4 years and can do as he likes, if he loses he still looks good as the rot wont have set in and the tories will have to pick up the pieces...
- Rich, London
If you're going to do it. Do it. The reason there was a bounce was because people were just relieved someone made a decision. Very soon everyone will realise that this is going to be a long hard slog and Brown made key decisions that will make it worse. Unfortunately the conservatives with their naive teenager shadow chancellor seem woefully unprepared.
- Alex C, London
re: Alex Lisinge, Putney London.
What planet are you on? Unemployment is predicted to reach at least 3 million next year while more and more houses are being repossessed and mortgage payment defaults are increasing at an alarming rate, personal debt is at 170% of GDP the highest in the G7 group of countries, public debt is nearer to 170% of GDP when PFI and future pensions payments etc are included. We have very little reserves in the Treasury because boom & bust Brown sold our gold reserves at about one fifth of today’s gold price value. He has wasted billions of pounds buying votes by increasing public sector jobs and with his ludicrous tax-credits scheme. We have no significant industry to take us out of a recession come depression because he has been instrumental in breaking London as the world’s financial centre. He all but destroyed our telecoms industry and cost the UK thousands of potential jobs and £ millions from possible tax revenue from overseas investment by the crassness of his 3G telecoms licensing. His entire pea-brained attempt to keep us all distracted has been with housing, housing, bloddy housing which has now collapsed. Our society is broken by Labour with their repeated meddling at social-engineering. The media has been almost totally manipulated by trash distractions including the wish by an apparent tutu wearing Lord Mandy to appear on Strictly Come Dancing while the country’s economy and society crashes around us.
- Joe, London, UK
Don't be too cock sure that he's unelectable. That may well be among the English and Nu-Lying-Labour only had 25% of their vote last time round but look at what they've done to destroy England since. Officially or unofficially,3/4 or even 5 million have arrived here over the last 4/5 years and nearly all on benefit of some type. Now ask yourself do turkeys vote for Christmas! No but they will for benefits!!!!
- Mike, London
Bottler Brown returns to re-bottle it? Great idea - people can't wait to deliver a verdict on 10 years of economic trickery and boot this foolish man out once and for all.
- Richard H, London
Brown created a huge boom in private and public debt. He caused a massive BUST while lying, (he thought he was boasting) he had ended Boom and Bust. Now her proposes even more. At the same time saying Labour will cut taxes. He is worse than Comical Ali. He probably has Mandy filling in his loan application.
Mandy is the new Blair, the spinning face of labour. Brown steals the taxes, spending now for others to pay back later. 4m on disability, 2m unemployed and 2m immigrants makes an excellent voting base.
History will see Burglar Brown who endebted the UK for generations. Crooked work as with labour £40m in debt they want laws to make taxpayers pay it off.
Brown and his cronies are rotten like Haringey Council. Committees, staff, spending, assessments, reviews, officials all running up huge costs. The economy (Baby P) is ignored. It (Baby P, or the economy) is an excuse to increase spending on 'professional' services, which in reality increases the problems. 'Services' have one Orwellian aim to build up 'care' for problems, so more jobs are needed, more staff to monitor the family/economy, to revisit, and refer to other departments. 60 visits and no real care to check for real bruises, to see a 'Broken Back'.
Labour creates 'State Leaches', who earn from having problems, or dealing with them. Like Brown's FSA was supp, many lives ruined, and the UK endebted.
- Jim, london
Perhaps when the election comes around the real costs and obligations Brown has imposed on this country by his poor handling of our economy these last ten years will finally dawn on the gullible public who now seem to think he is doing a good job.
It's a bit like rewarding a man for fixing your windows after he broke them while stealing all your money, but some people never learn. Perhaps we are forever doomed to choose the people who ruin our country with even more power.
- Stephen Rothbart, Prague, Czech Republic
Blatant opportunism based on one poll. Too good!
- Albert Swift, Aberdeen, Scotland
Come on people-those of you who would vote for Brown please let us know via this board!It could then act as an informal opinion poll....
- A Moreno, Luxembourg
come on Brown do it. We can get you and your useless party out once and for all!!
- Fly, london
Judging by the main picture the strain is starting to tell on Gordon Brown. He may think he's a world statesman but actually he's Mr Plod. And sooner or later all those porkie pies that Labour have been telling will come flooding back like a tsunami.And just where is the money going to come from to repay the upcoming tax givaway, the PFI initiatives, 2012, Northern Rock, etc etc?
- Jeremiah, London
He'll hold on to the bitter end. Unless he comes out with a statement shortly though, it'll add fuel to the fire and look like he's bottled another election...
- Richard, birmingham, UK
Anne's article seems to fall short of reality. She claims Browns allies wants an early election, but fail to mention a single name.Once again we are choke with empty rumours.We would soon see fingers pointing at Mr Brown for bottling the election. Nonetheless the truth is Mr Browns priority is the economy. There is no election and allow the PM to concentrate on reviving our economy which is what he does best.
- Alex Lisinge, Putney London
Bring it on! Can't wait!!......if the loony Brown hasn't bankrupted the country by then!
- David H, London
P45s all round please
- Jeremy E, London
Brown is un-electable today, tomorrow and beyond.
- Tom, St. Albans
Please, please do it!
Dead cats bounce for a reason...
- Nobby Clark, Perth, Scotland
Hurray the end of boom & bust Brown day!
- Joe, London, UK
Go ahead Brown. The only bounce will be you bouncing out of power and, hopefully, out of parliament.
- Roger Slade, Winchester, Hampshire, England
Don't be fooled by them again! Its because of Labour we are stuck in this mess.
- Jk, London
Go for it Bozo. The sooner the better so we can be rid of you and your fellow incompetent mendacious bunglers.
- Andrew, London
