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| Brown denies polls changed mind | |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Gordon Brown says he takes "full responsibility" for the weeks election speculation - and denied poor opinion polls led him to decide against one. | |
| The PM told reporters at his monthly press conference that he had considered holding a poll, but wanted more time to deliver on his vision for the future. | |
| David Cameron accused him of "not being straight with the public". The Lib Dems said the episode was "deeply damaging". | David Cameron accused him of "not being straight with the public". The Lib Dems said the episode was "deeply damaging". |
| Mr Brown will make a Commons statement at 3.30pm and later address Labour MPs. | |
| Election 'charade' | Election 'charade' |
| Reports have suggested that in his Commons statement on Iraq, Mr Brown could detail plans to bring more soldiers home and grant asylum to a fixed number of Iraqi interpreters. | Reports have suggested that in his Commons statement on Iraq, Mr Brown could detail plans to bring more soldiers home and grant asylum to a fixed number of Iraqi interpreters. |
| In the evening, he is expected to address the Parliamentary Labour Party - a traditional engagement for the party leader when the Commons returns from its summer break. | In the evening, he is expected to address the Parliamentary Labour Party - a traditional engagement for the party leader when the Commons returns from its summer break. |
| It comes the day after Conservative leader Mr Cameron accused the prime minister of "treating the British people as fools" over his decision not to call a snap election. | It comes the day after Conservative leader Mr Cameron accused the prime minister of "treating the British people as fools" over his decision not to call a snap election. |
| I want the chance in the next phase of my premiership to develop and show people the policies that are going to make a huge difference Gordon Brown Analysis: Fight back (Pt 1) Brown inheritance tax hint Iraq statement defended Labour 'robocalls' probed | I want the chance in the next phase of my premiership to develop and show people the policies that are going to make a huge difference Gordon Brown Analysis: Fight back (Pt 1) Brown inheritance tax hint Iraq statement defended Labour 'robocalls' probed |
| Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell said a "charade" had been conducted in the interests of the Labour Party, and accused the prime minister of reverting to "the worst of Blairism". | Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell said a "charade" had been conducted in the interests of the Labour Party, and accused the prime minister of reverting to "the worst of Blairism". |
| "It is deeply, deeply damaging (to him) and more than that it is deeply, deeply damaging to politics," he said. | "It is deeply, deeply damaging (to him) and more than that it is deeply, deeply damaging to politics," he said. |
| His party will today launch a bid for legislation to strip prime ministers of the right to pick election dates by imposing four-year fixed-term parliaments. | His party will today launch a bid for legislation to strip prime ministers of the right to pick election dates by imposing four-year fixed-term parliaments. |
| Mr Brown's announcement to the BBC's The Andrew Marr Show that there would not be an election came as a poll published by Sunday's News of the World suggested the Tories were ahead by 6% in marginal seats, with the party overall at 44% against Labour's 38%. | Mr Brown's announcement to the BBC's The Andrew Marr Show that there would not be an election came as a poll published by Sunday's News of the World suggested the Tories were ahead by 6% in marginal seats, with the party overall at 44% against Labour's 38%. |
| 2008 election 'unlikely' | 2008 election 'unlikely' |
| 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 suggested the Tories had taken a three-point lead. | A poll carried out for the Sunday Times suggested the Tories had taken a three-point lead. |
| During his BBC interview Mr Brown said it was "very unlikely" there would be an election in 2008. | During his BBC interview Mr Brown said it was "very unlikely" there would be an election in 2008. |
| It's high time, in my view, that the decision about a general election is not part of the discretion of the prime minister Sir Menzies Campbell Lib Dem bid for fixed polls Transcript: Brown on Marr Transcript: Cameron on Marr | It's high time, in my view, that the decision about a general election is not part of the discretion of the prime minister Sir Menzies Campbell Lib Dem bid for fixed polls Transcript: Brown on Marr Transcript: Cameron on Marr |
| He denied the opinion polls had led to the decision not to hold an election, saying: "I have a vision for change in Britain and I want to show people how in government we're implementing it." | He denied the opinion polls had led to the decision not to hold an election, saying: "I have a vision for change in Britain and I want to show people how in government we're implementing it." |
| But Mr Cameron said the PM "was not being straight... everybody knows he is not having an election because there's a danger of him losing it". | But Mr Cameron said the PM "was not being straight... everybody knows he is not having an election because there's a danger of him losing it". |
| He added: "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." | He added: "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." |
| 'Younger elements' | 'Younger elements' |
| But Mr Straw told BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Monday that he did not believe Mr Brown had been damaged by his decision not to hold an election | But Mr Straw told BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Monday that he did not believe Mr Brown had been damaged by his decision not to hold an election |
| He accepted that opinion polls had been "one of the factors" in his considerations. | He accepted that opinion polls had been "one of the factors" in his considerations. |
| But, he added: "My belief is even with this volatility of the opinion polls we would have won an election." | But, he added: "My belief is even with this volatility of the opinion polls we would have won an election." |
| Brown clearly values political cowardice far higher than democracy Phil, Brighton Send us your comments | Brown clearly values political cowardice far higher than democracy Phil, Brighton Send us your comments |
| Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said Mr Brown's decision had been taken "in the best interests of the country". | Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said Mr Brown's decision had been taken "in the best interests of the country". |
| "My experience of the last three months is that when he has to make tough decisions he has invariably made them in a way that has been right for the country," she told Sky News. | "My experience of the last three months is that when he has to make tough decisions he has invariably made them in a way that has been right for the country," she told Sky News. |
| But Labour MP David Winnick said that the party only had itself to blame for sparking election speculation, which he said had been fuelled by "younger elements" of the government. | But Labour MP David Winnick said that the party only had itself to blame for sparking election speculation, which he said had been fuelled by "younger elements" of the government. |
| He told Today: "Almost from the time the house broke up for the summer recess in July there was talk which continued and escalated about having an election, when frankly one couldn't see any necessity for having an election at all." | He told Today: "Almost from the time the house broke up for the summer recess in July there was talk which continued and escalated about having an election, when frankly one couldn't see any necessity for having an election at all." |