Gordon Brown calls May 6 election
PRIME Minister Gordon Brown has today called a May 6 general election. Flanked by his cabinet outside 10 Downing Street the PM confirmed that the election will be held next month after a 20-minute meeting with the Queen at Buckingham Palace to seek the di
PRIME Minister Gordon Brown has today called a May 6 general election.
Flanked by his cabinet outside 10 Downing Street the PM confirmed that the election will be held next month after a 20-minute meeting with the Queen at Buckingham Palace to seek the dissolution of Parliament.
The PM, who faces his first election as Labour leader, said: "I come from an ordinary middle class family in an ordinary town. And I know where I come from and I will never forget the values - doing the right thing, doing your duty, taking responsibility, telling the truth, working hard - that my parents instilled in me.
"Over these last few months this government at every time has fought hard facing the biggest world recession to fight on behalf of hardworking families on middle and modest incomes."
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Labour MP for Holborn and St Pancras Frank Dobson, who will be fighting his 8th campaign, welcomed the announcement.
He said: "I enjoy elections and I am glad we are going to get down to it now.
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"I am pretty hopeful we are going to do well and the canvassing we have been doing suggests that we will.
"And I expect that we will improve nationally as the campaign goes on as well. I am really looking forward to the next month of campaigning."
Leader of the Conservatives David Cameron said he offered a "modern Conservative alternative".
"This election is about the future of our economy, the future of our society, the future of our country," he said.
"It is the most important general election for a generation. It comes down to this. You do not have to put up with another five years of Gordon Brown.
"There is today a modern Conservative alternative that has got the leadership, that has got the energy that has got the values to get this country moving."
Nick Clegg, leader of the Liberal Democrats, said the election will not be a two-horse race between the biggest parties.
"Life has become even harder to get on under Brown - that is what we are here to change," he said.
"It is a very exciting opportunity for everybody in Britain who wants fairness, real change, who wants something different.
"This is not the old politics of the two-horse race between the Labour and Conservative party. The real choice is between the old politics of Labour and the Conservatives and something different, something new, that is what we offer. We have got to do something new this time.
