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Election decision 'this weekend' Cameron seeking Whitehall talks
(about 2 hours later)
Gordon Brown is likely to make a decision this weekend on whether to hold a snap general election, a polling expert has said. David Cameron has asked for his shadow Cabinet to meet senior civil servants to ensure Whitehall is prepared for an incoming Conservative government.
John Curtice of Strathclyde University told the BBC the prime minister would "finally have to make up his mind and tell the rest of us". He has written to Gordon Brown saying it is a matter of "urgency", given the speculation about a snap election.
Mr Brown has until next Tuesday to call an election for 1 November. Mr Brown is expected to decide this weekend whether to call an election for the first week in November.
He has refused to rule out a snap poll, with the Lib Dems and Tories saying they are ready for a campaign. Oppositions traditionally talk through their plans with civil servants in the months before an election is held.
The first results from opinion polls taken since David Cameron's speech to the Conservative Party conference on Wednesday are expected overnight. The idea is to ensure civil servants can help the incoming government to put their policies and plans into action from the day they take office.
The party leader will be hoping to dent the so-called "Brown bounce" seen since Labour's conference last week. In the past oppositions have been given varying lengths of time to talk up their plans with civil servants - most recently from the January before the fourth anniversary of the last election.
Mr Cameron's letter comes as Mr Brown refuses to dampen speculation of a snap poll as the deadline for an early November election approaches.
Analysts say the results of the first opinion polls since David Cameron's Conservative Party speech are likely to be a crucial part of the PM's calculation.
Mr Cameron will be hoping that the polls, published from Thursday evening onwards, will dent the so-called "Brown bounce" which has given Labour opinion poll leads since Tony Blair stood down.
Election 'speculation'
In his letter to Mr Brown, Mr Cameron said pre-election meetings must be held with the Civil Service so it was "fully prepared to implement the new policies of a new [Conservative] government".
To try to persuade people to come out at half past nine on a wet and windy, dark November - I think it's dreadful Ken Livingstone, London mayorTo try to persuade people to come out at half past nine on a wet and windy, dark November - I think it's dreadful Ken Livingstone, London mayor
Mr Cameron has stressed that the Conservatives were "ready" for an election after an "extremely successful" conference. "Given that you have allowed members of the Cabinet to speculate openly that an election is to be called imminently, I am asking you today to give the necessary instructions for such meetings to begin immediately," he wrote.
"We set out a very clear direction not just for our party but for our country, giving people more opportunity, making the country safer and strengthening families," he told BBC Radio 4's The World at One. The Tory leader said he wanted to give officials time to prepare for measures including reforming the National Health Service and the UK's tax system, plus the creation of a single Border Police Force.
"I think the policies announced give people a really clear idea about how we can change Britain and how we don't need another five years of Labour failure." Mr Cameron has stressed that the Conservatives were "ready" for an election.
Voters now had "a really clear idea about how we can change Britain and how we don't need another five years of Labour failure", he told BBC Radio 4's The World at One.
'Fight and win''Fight and win'
The second date widely suggested for a snap election is 8 November, which Mr Brown would have to call by 16 October. Aside from 1 November, the second date widely suggested for a snap election is 8 November, which Mr Brown would have to call by 16 October.
Professor Curtice said: "I think we can look forward to a number of opinion polls, probably Friday, Saturday and Sunday, trying to get a measure of where the public now stands in the wake of David Cameron's speech. "I think we can look forward to a number of opinion polls, probably Friday, Saturday and Sunday, trying to get a measure of where the public now stands in the wake of David Cameron's speech," Strathclyde University Professor John Curtice said.
"I guess it will be that evidence, together with whatever private polling Gordon Brown gets this weekend, that means the prime minister will finally have to make up his mind and tell the rest of us whether or not we are going to have a snap election at the beginning of November or whether he is going to call the dogs off." Speculation is growing over a possible November electionThis, along with private polling given to Mr Brown, meant "the prime minister will finally have to make up his mind and tell the rest of us whether or not we are going to have a snap election at the beginning of November, or whether he is going to call the dogs off", he added.
Voters did not want any further "Labour failure", Mr Cameron saidAmid all the election speculation Liberal Democrat party president Simon Hughes told BBC Radio Five Live that prime ministers should not be allowed to call a snap election at a time of their choosing. Amid all the election speculation Liberal Democrat party president Simon Hughes told BBC Radio Five Live that prime ministers should not be allowed to call a snap election at a time of their choosing.
He said: "If an election is called in the next week or so, we will have to cut short the end of this parliamentary year.He said: "If an election is called in the next week or so, we will have to cut short the end of this parliamentary year.
"We will rush through stuff - some laws will never happen that should have happened.""We will rush through stuff - some laws will never happen that should have happened."
"The public are inconvenienced," he added, "so, no, it's a very bad idea.""The public are inconvenienced," he added, "so, no, it's a very bad idea."
'Bursting'
The mayor of London, Labour's Ken Livingstone, described a November poll as a "dreadful" idea.
HAVE YOUR SAY He will call an election only because he knows the bad times are coming Steve, Derby Send us your commentsHAVE YOUR SAY He will call an election only because he knows the bad times are coming Steve, Derby Send us your comments
And the mayor of London, Labour's Ken Livingstone, described a November poll as a "dreadful" idea.
"I think you need an election as the sun's bursting out at the beginning of summer," he told BBC London 94.9."I think you need an election as the sun's bursting out at the beginning of summer," he told BBC London 94.9.
"To try to persuade people to come out at half past nine on a wet and windy, dark November - I think it's dreadful.""To try to persuade people to come out at half past nine on a wet and windy, dark November - I think it's dreadful."
He went on: "I'd wait until next summer so people have seen the best part of a year of Gordon in action." The Association of Electoral Administrators has estimated that a November poll would bar at least a million voters because of changes since the electoral register was last updated in December.
On Wednesday, former Tory leader William Hague said Mr Brown would be guilty of "cowardice" if he did not call a snap election soon, having refused to quell speculation.
The Association of Electoral Administrators has estimated that a November poll would bar at least a million voters because of changes since the electoral register was last updated in December 2006.