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| Britain |
| Snap UK election? |
| 2004-12-20 |
| Labour cleared the decks yesterday for an early general election as official figures showed record borrowing by Gordon Brown last month. The £9.4 billion of public sector borrowing in November was higher than the City expected and prompted Tory claims that Labour would have to raise taxes to fill a looming "black hole" in the nation's finances. The release of the borrowing figures coincided with a special session of the Cabinet to finalise preparations for an election, even though Tony Blair's Government has a large Commons majority and 18 months to run before it needs a new mandate. The decision to announce details of Labour's election campaign - such as the scrapping of the traditional "battlebuses" that ferry the party leader and the media around the country - so far in advance was unprecedented. It was seen at Westminster as a decision to keep open Mr Blair's options for an early poll. There is a widespread assumption that he will go to the country on May 5, but there has been speculation within Labour ranks that he could call a snap election as early as February. Liam Fox, the Conservative Party co-chairman, said the announcement of Labour's election plans at this stage "smacks of panic". "Clearly they are preparing to cut and run if the economy deteriorates," he said. According to Alan Milburn, Labour's general election co-ordinator, the economy will be at the centre of the party's campaign to secure a third term. |
| Posted by:Bulldog |