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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Election fever 'has damaged PM' | Election fever 'has damaged PM' |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Scottish opposition politicians have insisted the prime minister's credibility has been damaged after he ruled out calling a snap election. | Scottish opposition politicians have insisted the prime minister's credibility has been damaged after he ruled out calling a snap election. |
| Gordon Brown told the BBC he had had a "duty" to consider whether to hold an election, but decided against it so he could show his "vision" for Britain. | Gordon Brown told the BBC he had had a "duty" to consider whether to hold an election, but decided against it so he could show his "vision" for Britain. |
| The SNP said the PM had suffered a "dramatic loss" of credibility. | The SNP said the PM had suffered a "dramatic loss" of credibility. |
| Scottish Secretary Des Browne said the only person scared of an election was First Minister Alex Salmond. | Scottish Secretary Des Browne said the only person scared of an election was First Minister Alex Salmond. |
| Mr Salmond told BBC Radio Scotland's Sunday Live programme: "Credibility is a rare commodity in politics, once you start to lose it it's very, very difficult to get it back again. | Mr Salmond told BBC Radio Scotland's Sunday Live programme: "Credibility is a rare commodity in politics, once you start to lose it it's very, very difficult to get it back again. |
| No amount of bluster from Alex Salmond can conceal his betrayal of the voters Scottish SecretaryDes Brown Brown branded a 'feartie' | No amount of bluster from Alex Salmond can conceal his betrayal of the voters Scottish SecretaryDes Brown Brown branded a 'feartie' |
| "He's saying that he based his decision on a range of factors, when every single person knows he was biting his nails and poring over the opinion polls and trying to decide what was best for Gordon Brown - that deception is a problem for the prime minister." | "He's saying that he based his decision on a range of factors, when every single person knows he was biting his nails and poring over the opinion polls and trying to decide what was best for Gordon Brown - that deception is a problem for the prime minister." |
| But the Scottish Secretary said the PM had made the right decision in the long-term interest of Scotland. | But the Scottish Secretary said the PM had made the right decision in the long-term interest of Scotland. |
| He said: "Labour in Scotland is day-by-day exposing the SNP's broken promises and no amount of bluster from Alex Salmond can conceal his betrayal of the voters." | He said: "Labour in Scotland is day-by-day exposing the SNP's broken promises and no amount of bluster from Alex Salmond can conceal his betrayal of the voters." |
| Annabel Goldie, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, said her party had been ready to fight an election and accused the prime minister of treating the British public in a "contemptuous" manner. | Annabel Goldie, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, said her party had been ready to fight an election and accused the prime minister of treating the British public in a "contemptuous" manner. |
| Ms Goldie said: "I think Gordon Brown has damaged his own perception in the eyes of the public. | Ms Goldie said: "I think Gordon Brown has damaged his own perception in the eyes of the public. |
| The voters, I guess, know this is a pretty spectacular guddle Brian TaylorBBC Scotland political editor Read Brian Taylor's blog | |
| "First of all he seemed to dither and be indecisive, then after a great deal of anguishing and heart searching he decides not to have an election - and then says he's not doing that, not because of polls but because he wants more time to think about things. | "First of all he seemed to dither and be indecisive, then after a great deal of anguishing and heart searching he decides not to have an election - and then says he's not doing that, not because of polls but because he wants more time to think about things. |
| "The British public's just not going to buy that." | "The British public's just not going to buy that." |
| Nicol Stephen, leader of the Liberal Democrats in Scotland, said the espisode reflected very badly on Gordon Brown. | |
| "The whole mess shows why no prime minister should have the power to call a snap election," he said. | |
| "The solution is for the House of Commons to have a four year fixed-term, like the Scottish Parliament." | |
| BBC Scotland political editor Brian Taylor stressed that the fall-out from the election speculation would be tempered by announcements in the coming weeks and months north and south of the border. | BBC Scotland political editor Brian Taylor stressed that the fall-out from the election speculation would be tempered by announcements in the coming weeks and months north and south of the border. |
| He said: "The voters, I guess, know this is a pretty spectacular guddle. | He said: "The voters, I guess, know this is a pretty spectacular guddle. |
| "But, equally, I suspect they will be more concerned in the long-term about what their leaders do - rather than, in this case, don't do." | "But, equally, I suspect they will be more concerned in the long-term about what their leaders do - rather than, in this case, don't do." |