Cameron issues election challenge

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Conservative leader David Cameron has challenged Gordon Brown to call a general election after Labour's Glasgow East by-election defeat.

Speaking outside his London home Mr Cameron said: "I think the prime minister should have his holiday but then I think we need an election.

"I think we need change in this country, and that's how change should come about."

Labour lost the seat to the Scottish National Party on a swing of 22%.

'We want change'

Glasgow East had been one of Labour's safest.

Mr Cameron said he was pleased the Conservative candidate had gone from fourth place to third place and had "maintained" the party's share of the vote.

"But what I wonder is whether we can put up with this for another 18 months," he said.

"I think whenever people have had a chance to speak about this government, whether at the local elections, whether in Crewe, whether in Henley, whether in the London mayor elections and now in Glasgow, they have said 'Look, we think you're failing and we want change'.

"I think it's the Conservative Party over the last few months that's really been setting the agenda on things like how we combat knife crime, how we deal with the cost of living, how we clean up politics.

"And so I look forward to going on and setting that agenda and fighting that election whenever the prime minister calls it."