PM: I’m focusing on governing not elections
Gordon Brown has once again refused to definitively rule out an October poll, saying instead that it is not the time to discuss elections.
In his first press conference after the summer break, the prime minister said he was “getting on with the business of governing”.
Labour have attempted to dampen election speculation in the past few days, with their election coordinator Douglas Alexander dismissing claims an announcement was imminent as “nonsense”.
But Mr Brown has so far chosen his words carefully; playing down election fever while not categorically ruling out an early poll.
Today, he was challenged to end the speculation once and for all – and again answered a subtly different question.
Mr Brown said he had made it “absolutely clear” he was “getting on with the business of governing”.
“There is a time and a place for discussing elections and this is not it,” he said.
Yesterday Mr Brown said the Queen would be the first to hear of any election announcement.
Commentators have questioned whether Mr Brown would risk losing his majority so soon after gaining power.
Today Mr Brown appeared to give credence to the cautious theory, referring to his many reforms planned for the coming months.
Mr Brown said most of the speculation about an early poll was coming from the same people who had challenged the prime minister to seek his own mandate in June.
Labour have blamed the Conservatives for fuelling the latest round of election speculation, arguing David Cameron is attempting to distract people from his own problems within the party.
