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| Election pressure mounts for PM | Election pressure mounts for PM |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| The Tories have once again called on the prime minister to go to the polls as pressure continues to mount on him to decide on a general election. | The Tories have once again called on the prime minister to go to the polls as pressure continues to mount on him to decide on a general election. |
| Speaking on BBC's Question Time, shadow chancellor George Osborne challenged Gordon Brown not to "bottle it". | Speaking on BBC's Question Time, shadow chancellor George Osborne challenged Gordon Brown not to "bottle it". |
| There has been increasing speculation the PM will call an election next week. | There has been increasing speculation the PM will call an election next week. |
| Three opinion polls suggest Labour's lead over the Tories has fallen sharply in the past week - two put Labour ahead but one has them level with the Tories. | Three opinion polls suggest Labour's lead over the Tories has fallen sharply in the past week - two put Labour ahead but one has them level with the Tories. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY Politicians invariably call snap general elections when it suits their own political ambitions Brian Agnew, Preston Send us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAY Politicians invariably call snap general elections when it suits their own political ambitions Brian Agnew, Preston Send us your comments |
| Mr Osborne said: "Either we have this election - which the current opinion polls and the state of the Conservative Party suggest we've got a good chance of winning - or he bottles it. | Mr Osborne said: "Either we have this election - which the current opinion polls and the state of the Conservative Party suggest we've got a good chance of winning - or he bottles it. |
| "That is a pretty extraordinary position for a prime minister to be in after just a few months." | "That is a pretty extraordinary position for a prime minister to be in after just a few months." |
| Mr Brown must go ahead with calling an election after he "let his aides stoke up that speculation" and after he had "moved government announcements into the party conference season in order to try and play party politics", Mr Osborne added. | Mr Brown must go ahead with calling an election after he "let his aides stoke up that speculation" and after he had "moved government announcements into the party conference season in order to try and play party politics", Mr Osborne added. |
| On Tuesday, the Conservatives accused Mr Brown of "cynical pre-election politics" by visiting British forces in Iraq to announce troop cuts during the Conservative conference. | On Tuesday, the Conservatives accused Mr Brown of "cynical pre-election politics" by visiting British forces in Iraq to announce troop cuts during the Conservative conference. |
| Speaking earlier on Thursday, Tory leader David Cameron said "I relish the opportunity of getting out and taking the message to the country." | Speaking earlier on Thursday, Tory leader David Cameron said "I relish the opportunity of getting out and taking the message to the country." |
| Cameron speech | Cameron speech |
| Mr Osborne and Mr Cameron spoke as it emerged that an ICM poll for the Guardian newspaper indicates that Conservative and Labour are level - on 38% - compared with a 7% lead for Labour one month ago. | Mr Osborne and Mr Cameron spoke as it emerged that an ICM poll for the Guardian newspaper indicates that Conservative and Labour are level - on 38% - compared with a 7% lead for Labour one month ago. |
| STATE OF THE PARTIES 38% - Labour38% - Conservatives16% - Liberal Democrats Source: ICM/The Guardian | STATE OF THE PARTIES 38% - Labour38% - Conservatives16% - Liberal Democrats Source: ICM/The Guardian |
| The poll surveyed 1,008 adults on Wednesday and Thursday, after David Cameron's address, delivered without notes or autocue, to the Conservative conference in Blackpool. | The poll surveyed 1,008 adults on Wednesday and Thursday, after David Cameron's address, delivered without notes or autocue, to the Conservative conference in Blackpool. |
| Meanwhile, the results of an earlier YouGov survey for Channel 4 News - which interviewed 1,741 people, also on Wednesday and Thursday - suggested the government, on 40%, was four points ahead of the Tories compared with a lead of 11 points last week. | Meanwhile, the results of an earlier YouGov survey for Channel 4 News - which interviewed 1,741 people, also on Wednesday and Thursday - suggested the government, on 40%, was four points ahead of the Tories compared with a lead of 11 points last week. |
| And a Populus poll for the Times, for which 803 adults were interviewed by telephone on Tuesday and Wednesday, indicated a three-point lead for Labour, on 39%, down from 10 points a week ago. | And a Populus poll for the Times, for which 803 adults were interviewed by telephone on Tuesday and Wednesday, indicated a three-point lead for Labour, on 39%, down from 10 points a week ago. |
| STATE OF THE PARTIES 39% - Labour36% - Conservatives15% - Liberal Democrats10% - Other Source: Populus/The Times | STATE OF THE PARTIES 39% - Labour36% - Conservatives15% - Liberal Democrats10% - Other Source: Populus/The Times |
| Speaking on Question Time on Thursday night, Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly said: "When I heard David Cameron say, 'bring it on', I just had one thought - be careful what you wish for." | Speaking on Question Time on Thursday night, Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly said: "When I heard David Cameron say, 'bring it on', I just had one thought - be careful what you wish for." |
| Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell, meanwhile, also said Mr Brown must now make his decision. | Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell, meanwhile, also said Mr Brown must now make his decision. |
| "What began as a tease has become something rather more serious, really an abuse of the political process," he said. | "What began as a tease has become something rather more serious, really an abuse of the political process," he said. |
| Mr Brown marked his 100 days in office by visiting a new NHS centre in Basildon, Essex. | |
| Key indicator | Key indicator |
| BBC political correspondent James Hardy said that Mr Brown had been tested by floods, foot-and-mouth and terror threats but that his biggest test - whether or not to call a general election - was still ahead of him. | BBC political correspondent James Hardy said that Mr Brown had been tested by floods, foot-and-mouth and terror threats but that his biggest test - whether or not to call a general election - was still ahead of him. |
| Our correspondent said the three polls were a key indicator of where public opinion was after the party conference season. | Our correspondent said the three polls were a key indicator of where public opinion was after the party conference season. |
| And while Mr Brown had dominated the polls in his 100 days as prime minister, the Tories appeared to have dramatically bounced back. | And while Mr Brown had dominated the polls in his 100 days as prime minister, the Tories appeared to have dramatically bounced back. |
| In its poll for Channel 4 News, YouGov also asked whether an autumn election was in Britain's best interests. | In its poll for Channel 4 News, YouGov also asked whether an autumn election was in Britain's best interests. |
| STATE OF THE PARTIES 40% - Labour36% - Conservatives13% - Liberal Democrats11% - Other Source: YouGov/Channel 4 News | STATE OF THE PARTIES 40% - Labour36% - Conservatives13% - Liberal Democrats11% - Other Source: YouGov/Channel 4 News |
| It found 36% thought it was, compared with 29% last week. | It found 36% thought it was, compared with 29% last week. |
| But a further 32% of those questioned called for Mr Brown to wait until 2008 before calling an election. | But a further 32% of those questioned called for Mr Brown to wait until 2008 before calling an election. |
| Asked if the prime minister should delay a nationwide vote until 2009, 7% agreed. | Asked if the prime minister should delay a nationwide vote until 2009, 7% agreed. |
| And another 7% said that waiting until 2010, at the end of the government's current five-year term, would be their preference. | And another 7% said that waiting until 2010, at the end of the government's current five-year term, would be their preference. |