This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk_politics/7032192.stm
The article has changed 18 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Parties attack election decision | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Opposition parties say they are disappointed by Gordon Brown's decision not to call an autumn election. | |
| The Conservatives say Mr Brown was frightened by opinion polls in the Sunday Times and News of the World which put the Tories ahead of Labour. | |
| The prime minister said a vote was being delayed so people had time to see how successful his policies were. | |
| Home Office Minister Tony McNulty said the PM would have been criticised for whatever decision he had taken. | |
| 'Retreat' | 'Retreat' |
| The prime minister said he wanted a chance to show the country his "vision for change" and to develop his policies further. | The prime minister said he wanted a chance to show the country his "vision for change" and to develop his policies further. |
| He said an election could have been held based on "competency" in dealing with crises, but he wanted to develop housing, health and education. | He said an election could have been held based on "competency" in dealing with crises, but he wanted to develop housing, health and education. |
| Mr McNulty told BBC News 24 any decision taken by Mr Brown would have attracted "negative connotations". | |
| He's been trying to spin his way into a general election campaign and now he's had to make a humiliating retreat David Cameron,Conservative leader Reaction to decision in quotes Cameron reaction | He's been trying to spin his way into a general election campaign and now he's had to make a humiliating retreat David Cameron,Conservative leader Reaction to decision in quotes Cameron reaction |
| "I think in the end everyone got a bit carried away by it, media included," he said. | |
| "We had the strange spectacle of the Conservatives who were last week saying 'come on, bring it on, bring it on', when if you talked to them privately and in the background, the last thing they wanted was an election." | |
| But Conservative leader David Cameron said Mr Brown had shown "great weakness and indecision", and had made a "humiliating retreat". | |
| Shadow Chancellor George Osborne said: "The Labour Party promised us at the last election that Tony Blair would serve the full term and then there would be an election. | |
| "Well, Tony Blair's gone, the new guy's in charge, he's been there for a while now. He's deliberately stoked up speculation about an election and now he's gone and bottled it." | "Well, Tony Blair's gone, the new guy's in charge, he's been there for a while now. He's deliberately stoked up speculation about an election and now he's gone and bottled it." |
| Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell said the prime minister had had a "crisis of confidence", and that his decision showed "a loss of nerve". | |
| "He should have stated his intentions, clearly and unequivocally. The inevitable conclusion is that he's been acting in the interests of the Labour Party and not in the interests of the country," he said. | "He should have stated his intentions, clearly and unequivocally. The inevitable conclusion is that he's been acting in the interests of the Labour Party and not in the interests of the country," he said. |
| Lib Dem deputy leader Vince Cable said: "Gordon Brown's made a terrible mess of this really and undermined his credibility. And I think actually he may regret his decision to postpone the election." | Lib Dem deputy leader Vince Cable said: "Gordon Brown's made a terrible mess of this really and undermined his credibility. And I think actually he may regret his decision to postpone the election." |
| Unfavourable polls | Unfavourable polls |
| The government's assistant whip, Sadiq Khan, said Mr Brown had never intimated he was thinking of calling an election. | |
| He said: "The prime minister has never publicly or privately said to anyone that it was his intention to hold a general election this autumn." | He said: "The prime minister has never publicly or privately said to anyone that it was his intention to hold a general election this autumn." |
| This is a considerable embarrassment for Gordon Brown BBC political editor Nick Robinson Read Nick's thoughts in full | |
| BBC political editor Nick Robinson suggested the main reason for not calling a snap election would be an unfavourable poll of marginal seats showing a swing to the Tories. | BBC political editor Nick Robinson suggested the main reason for not calling a snap election would be an unfavourable poll of marginal seats showing a swing to the Tories. |
| A poll published by Sunday's News of the World puts the Tories ahead by 6% in marginal seats, with the party overall at 44% against Labour's 38%. | A poll published by Sunday's News of the World puts the Tories ahead by 6% in marginal seats, with the party overall at 44% against Labour's 38%. |
| Translated into a general election, it would mean a hung Parliament with Labour holding 306 seats and the Tories 246. | Translated into a general election, it would mean a hung Parliament with Labour holding 306 seats and the Tories 246. |
| A poll carried out for the Sunday Times showed the Tories had taken a three-point lead. | A poll carried out for the Sunday Times showed the Tories had taken a three-point lead. |
| Mr Brown revealed his decision not to call an election exclusively to the BBC's Andrew Marr on Saturday in Downing Street. | Mr Brown revealed his decision not to call an election exclusively to the BBC's Andrew Marr on Saturday in Downing Street. |
| He said: "I'll not be calling an election. I have a vision for change in Britain and I want to show people how in government we're implementing it. | He said: "I'll not be calling an election. I have a vision for change in Britain and I want to show people how in government we're implementing it. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY Brown has gone for a decision - not a reaction Brian Send us your comments | |
| "Over the summer months we've had to deal with crises, we've had to deal with foot-and-mouth, with terrorism, with floods, we had financial crises. | "Over the summer months we've had to deal with crises, we've had to deal with foot-and-mouth, with terrorism, with floods, we had financial crises. |
| "Yes, we could have had an election on competence and I hope people would have understood we have acted competently, but what I want to do is show people the vision we have for the future of this country in housing, health and education." | "Yes, we could have had an election on competence and I hope people would have understood we have acted competently, but what I want to do is show people the vision we have for the future of this country in housing, health and education." |
| Mounting speculation | Mounting speculation |
| The prime minister was asked by Andrew Marr whether there would be no election for a long time to come. | The prime minister was asked by Andrew Marr whether there would be no election for a long time to come. |
| Mr Brown said: "I think it's very unlikely that this will happen in the next period." | Mr Brown said: "I think it's very unlikely that this will happen in the next period." |
| Our correspondent said later: "I would say in effect, unless something extraordinary happens, he is ruling out a general election either this year or in 2008." | |
| Speculation had been mounting that the prime minister would call a November election after changes to parliamentary announcements. | |
| Mr Cameron said: "The reason the prime minister has cancelled this election is that the Conservative Party is making the arguments about the changes this country needs. People are responding very positively to our proposals. | Mr Cameron said: "The reason the prime minister has cancelled this election is that the Conservative Party is making the arguments about the changes this country needs. People are responding very positively to our proposals. |
| "The prime minister has shown great weakness and indecision. | "The prime minister has shown great weakness and indecision. |
| "It's quite clear he's not been focussed on running the country these last few months, he's been trying to spin his way into a general election campaign and now he's had to make a humiliating retreat." | "It's quite clear he's not been focussed on running the country these last few months, he's been trying to spin his way into a general election campaign and now he's had to make a humiliating retreat." |
Gordon Brown's interview with Andrew Marr can be seen on The Andrew Marr Show on BBC One at 0900 BST on Sunday. The programme will be streamed on the BBC News website. | Gordon Brown's interview with Andrew Marr can be seen on The Andrew Marr Show on BBC One at 0900 BST on Sunday. The programme will be streamed on the BBC News website. |