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| Brown branded 'feartie' over poll | Brown branded 'feartie' over poll |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown has been branded a "feartie" by the Scottish National Party after he ruled out an autumn election. | |
| The prime minister has told the BBC's Andrew Marr that there will not be an election this year. | |
| Recent UK opinion polls have suggested that Labour's lead over the Conservatives has fallen. | Recent UK opinion polls have suggested that Labour's lead over the Conservatives has fallen. |
| SNP leader Alex Salmond said Gordon Brown was a "big feartie from Fife" who had lost credibility. | SNP leader Alex Salmond said Gordon Brown was a "big feartie from Fife" who had lost credibility. |
| Speculation had been mounting that the prime minister would call a November election. | |
| This shambles leaves Gordon Brown looking totally ridiculous Alex SalmondFirst Minister | |
| At the Scottish Liberal Democrat one-day conference in Glasgow on Saturday, UK leader Sir Menzies Campbell issued a challenge to the prime minister to make a decision over the poll. | |
| The two dates that were most widely touted for an election had been 1 and 8 November. | |
| BBC political editor Nick Robinson suggested that the main reason for not calling a snap election was an unfavourable poll of marginal seats showing a swing to Tories. | |
| Mr Salmond said the prime minister had lost "an enormous amount" of credibility and control of his campaign team. | |
| Whenever he does pluck up the courage we'll be waiting and ready Annabel GoldieScottish Conservative leader | |
| "Gordon Brown is not so much the Grand Old Duke of York - more the big feartie from Fife!" he said. | |
| The first minister added: "Gordon Brown obviously looked at the polls north and south of the Border, and ran away at the first whiff of grapeshot. | |
| "Those whom the gods seeks to destroy they first render ridiculous, and this shambles leaves Gordon Brown looking totally ridiculous. | |
| "Labour are a shambles north of the Border, and shaky south of the Border." | |
| Scottish Conservative leader Annabel Goldie said: "We were ready for a battle but it looks like the prime minister is bottling it. | |
| "Whenever he does pluck up the courage we'll be waiting and ready." |