Election 2010: Six months to go?
By Ian Dunt
There are just six months to go until the likely date of the general election.
The government is under no obligation to have the vote until June 3rd 2010, but the presence of the local elections on May 6th has led most political observers to presume Labour will set the general election for the same date.
Labour officials, desperate for any measure which might improve turnout, will be extremely attracted to a date which will see some Labour supporters go to the polls for the local elections anyway.
The date also comes after the return of British summer time. Dark evenings usually discourage activists from all-important door knocking in the run-up to a campaign, and strategists usually avoid setting a date during the winter months if they can help it.
Reports earlier this week that Gordon Brown could opt for a March election instead interested many parliamentarians, although the smart money still remains on May 6th.
Civil servants took note of the fact that government planning after the end of January is remarkably light, fuelling rumours of a surprise poll.
Today, politics.co.uk reveals part of its general election package, with our list of key constituencies in the battle for Downing Street and our first analysis of the polling data so far.
