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Cameron calls for early election Cameron calls for early election
(30 minutes later)
David Cameron has urged Gordon Brown to call a snap election - and said he believes the Conservatives can win.David Cameron has urged Gordon Brown to call a snap election - and said he believes the Conservatives can win.
He said the party would show at its conference in Blackpool it could offer the "real change" people wanted after "10 years of failure" under Labour.He said the party would show at its conference in Blackpool it could offer the "real change" people wanted after "10 years of failure" under Labour.
Mr Cameron told BBC One's Andrew Marr programme that he had always thought Mr Brown needed to call an election to get a mandate to be prime minister. Mr Cameron told BBC One's Andrew Marr programme Mr Brown needed to call an election to get a mandate to be PM.
The Tory leader called it a "huge challenge... but we are ready for it". The Conservative leader admitted it would be a "huge challenge" but said they were ready, adding: "We can win."
The Conservative Party conference gets under way on Sunday with a pledge to abolish stamp duty for first-time buyers of homes under £250,000. We can all play the game of quoting polls, why not find out in a real general election. I tell you, I really want it David CameronConservative leader class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/7013875.stm">Analysis: Cameron challenge
Mr Cameron said further policies would be outlined to provide a "compelling" alternative to Labour as he embarks on "a very big fight back". The party conference gets under way on Sunday with a pledge to abolish stamp duty for first-time buyers of homes under £250,000.
There would also be new green taxes - including an Air Pollution Duty on airlines - which would help fund cuts in family taxes, Mr Cameron said.
The conference would be about "giving people more opportunity, power and control over their lives", he added.The conference would be about "giving people more opportunity, power and control over their lives", he added.
His comments came after polls suggested that Labour have an 11-point poll lead. He brushed off a Sunday newspaper poll suggested an 11 point Labour lead saying he believed Mr Brown "has left it wide open".
"We can all play the game of quoting polls, why not find out in a real general election. I tell you, I really want it.
"I think we have the opportunity to put a very compelling alternative to people - ten more years of failure or real change with the Conservatives."
Parliamentary gainsParliamentary gains
Mr Cameron said the party would propose an Airline Pollution Duty, designed to encourage airlines to fly with full planes and penalise them for flights with only a few passengers on board. Mr Cameron said the Airline Pollution Duty - which sees the flight taxed rather than passengers - would discourage flights with few passengers on board.
The new policy announcements are also expected to include tax breaks for parents who live together, worth up to £2,000 a year.The new policy announcements are also expected to include tax breaks for parents who live together, worth up to £2,000 a year.
Clearly they're thinking in the Labour Party that if they don't have an election soon, then Brown will be rumbled, and people will be fed up with him in very short order William HagueShadow foreign secretary Clearly they're thinking in the Labour Party that if they don't have an election soon, then Brown will be rumbled, and people will be fed up with him in very short order William HagueShadow foreign secretary class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=7517&edition=1">Your views: Tory conference
The measure would be funded by a crackdown on benefits claimants who turn down jobs.The measure would be funded by a crackdown on benefits claimants who turn down jobs.
Mr Cameron said that the Conservatives would end the "couple penalty" in the tax credit system which left parents living apart better off than if they lived together.
They would also use the tax system to send a positive signal about the importance of marriage.
The government has dismissed many of the policies, saying Mr Cameron has to explain how the ideas are going to be paid for.The government has dismissed many of the policies, saying Mr Cameron has to explain how the ideas are going to be paid for.
"It's not proper opposition politics, let alone government politics, to come along with billion-pound announcements which you can't show where the money's going to come from," said Schools and Families Secretary Ed Balls."It's not proper opposition politics, let alone government politics, to come along with billion-pound announcements which you can't show where the money's going to come from," said Schools and Families Secretary Ed Balls.
'Brown bounce' 'Rumbled'
Mr Brown is expected to spend the next 48 hours weighing up whether to go to the country with an early general election. Labour has enjoyed its lead - dubbed the "Brown bounce" - since Mr Brown took over as prime minister in June.
Mr Brown, whose party held its conference last week, is expected to spend the next 48 hours weighing up whether to go to the country with an early general election.
Both Mr Cameron and Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell have accused Mr Brown - who can wait until May 2010 to call an election if he wants - of "dithering".Both Mr Cameron and Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell have accused Mr Brown - who can wait until May 2010 to call an election if he wants - of "dithering".
Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague said the Tories were ready for an early election.Shadow Foreign Secretary William Hague said the Tories were ready for an early election.
"Clearly they're thinking in the Labour Party that if they don't have an election soon, then Brown will be rumbled, and people will be fed up with him in very short order," he said."Clearly they're thinking in the Labour Party that if they don't have an election soon, then Brown will be rumbled, and people will be fed up with him in very short order," he said.
Labour has enjoyed its lead - dubbed the "Brown bounce" - since Mr Brown took over as prime minister in June.
'Very encouraged''Very encouraged'
Shadow chancellor George Osborne told Sky News the country was "crying out for change" and said that if Mr Brown did not now call an election he would have "bottled it".
An Ipsos/Mori poll for the Observer suggests 60% of voters thought Mr Brown was best able to handle a crisis with 13% for Mr Cameron.An Ipsos/Mori poll for the Observer suggests 60% of voters thought Mr Brown was best able to handle a crisis with 13% for Mr Cameron.
A YouGov poll for the Daily Telegraph gives the party an 11-point lead, with Labour on 43%, the Conservatives on 32% and the Liberal Democrats on 15%.A YouGov poll for the Daily Telegraph gives the party an 11-point lead, with Labour on 43%, the Conservatives on 32% and the Liberal Democrats on 15%.
The survey of 2,165 voters across Great Britain between 26 and 28 September suggests that 45% believe Mr Brown is in touch with people's concerns, compared to 18% who say the same of Mr Cameron.The survey of 2,165 voters across Great Britain between 26 and 28 September suggests that 45% believe Mr Brown is in touch with people's concerns, compared to 18% who say the same of Mr Cameron.
But the Conservatives have said they are "very encouraged" by the latest English council by-election results - in which they took a seat from Labour, and achieved swings that would translate to Parliamentary gains.But the Conservatives have said they are "very encouraged" by the latest English council by-election results - in which they took a seat from Labour, and achieved swings that would translate to Parliamentary gains.