PM - Spinning like a top

During the news conference today Gordon Brown said:

"those candidates in marginal seats were telling us we would win the election"

So why, on 5 Live today, did we hear a Labour MP in a marginal say he didn't want an election? I know he is only one - but if this is true you would have thought that our Gordon and his team would have had candidates in marginals queueing up to confirm his comment.

I wish one of the lobby had suggested to him what we all know - that he had stopped talking out of his mouth over why an election wasn't called. There is only one reason, it is because the Conservatives had a fantastically successful conference, which was reflected in the polls.

UPDATE: I have, rather sadly, being going through the text of today's press conference. Gordon said:

"people judge me on the big decisions for the future of the Country."

Deciding to call a General Election is about as big a decision as you can make for the future of the Country. So, in accordance with Gordon's own comments, we are entitled to judge him as a liar if we believe that he changed his mind because of the opinion polls.

Sky's Adam Boulton seething at being left in the gutter

Just read this on Adam Boulton's Blog:

"As I write in the gutter opposite Number 10 the BBC's Andrew Marr is inside
interviewing the Prime Minister. It's unusual to make such announcments on an
exclusive basis - but it's a sure sign of meltdown, as is the radio silence
observed today by both Government and Labour spokespeople."

The gutter comment is a clear statement that Boulton is seething at the way he, and presumably other journos, have been treated.

I have a feeling Andrew Marr's job might be on the line here, his reputation certainly is.

Poor Spin Alert - Brown's Excuse

I have just been watching the ITN News. Their Chief political correspondent said that Brown has called in a "pet" interviewer - which is a great way of describing Andrew Marr. It made me smile anyway.

Apparently the message that Brown will be spinning is that he was considering an election, but he has decided that he wants to go to the Country after he has had the opportunity to deliver something.

Andrew Marr's response should be something to the effect of "how do you expect anyone to buy that piece of tripe?"

How much better can this weekend get

Firstly I watch England's fantastically strong performance to beat the Aussies in the rugby, then do my hourly flick around the news sites to see that Gordon seems to have bottled it (which I predicted he would). Now we just need Lewis Hamilton to win overnight and Arsenal to trounce Sunderland tomorrow and this weekend will have been about as good as it gets.

Gordon Brown is now backed deep into a corner. As Conservative Home are saying, he has been exposed for the calculating schemer that he is. If I were a betting man, I would now lay bets on a 2010 election - Gordon will leave it until the last minute because there is no way he can recover from the position he is in. That said, if the polling in target seats was truly bad, there was also no way he could call an election now; his so called supreme political brain put him into a no win situation.

I also predict a November leadership election for the Lib Dems. Chris Huhne must realise this is the only space he has to mount a challenge and halt the Lib Dems freefall.

This is Gordon's get out if he bottles it

According to the You Gov Poll data being reported tonight, 36% think Gordon should go now, 32% in 2008, 7% in 2009, 7% in 2010 and 17% Don't Know.

So if, as I suspect, Gordon doesn't call it over the weekend, his team can simply claim that the majority don't want an election now.

The Lib Dems on 13% is a disaster for them, I wonder how much longer they will put up with it and which Party's vote it would affect if they did select a new leader?

Election in 2010?

I have always thought that if Gordon Brown didn't go for a snap election he would have to wait until the last possible moment (i.e. 2010).

The Conservatives have had a great week, even before David Cameron's speech today, and the atmosphere at Conference has been very, very upbeat- helped by a positive media response. Aside from this forecasters are already suggesting gloom for the economy and Gordon's attempt to use our troops for political gain yesterday has seriously backfired and may well have a lasting effect.

So, the only reason we may now have an election is because Gordon and his team of spinners have created momentum in the media that they cannot stop. I expect some attempts in the next few days to play down the idea of an election. Personally, given that the reason for a delay will be because Gordon doesn't think he can win, I don't think a bit of a media blacklash because of a climbdown will bother him.

So now I have said all this - the announcement of an election is inevitable!!