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London: Gordon Brown could call an election next June in the hope of benefiting from a "recession bounce", allies have revealed.
The Prime Minister is said by several insiders to be "seriously considering" a poll on June 4, to coincide with the local and European elections on a "Super Thursday".
After the fiasco of the cancelled election last autumn, Number 10 is highly nervous of speculation about a date, and aides have instructed senior Labour figures not to discuss it in public.
Tax rises
An early vote would also open Brown to the charge of a "cut and run", with tax rises to follow. But the appetite for an early election has sharpened in the past few days as the Conservative poll lead has fallen to three points and ministers relish the new sharp divide on the economy between the parties.
"If he can close the poll lead towards level pegging and keep it there for a few months, he is very likely to go for it," said one Brownite. Another ally said: "He would be mad not to think about it. The date really selects itself if you look at the options. Gordon will have had the G20 meeting in London in April, which will show him chairing the most important forum in the world economic crisis - and there will have been some time for the fiscal stimulus he is proposing to come through, and the divide with the Tory position to be argued out."
Brown is planning to ally himself closely with Barack Obama, who is also planning a huge fiscal stimulus in the US. The new President's first visit to Britain would provide Brown with an opportunity to lay claim to the mantle of statesman for difficult times.
A May option, a source said, is ruled out now that the European and local elections are to be held on June 4. Others suggest that by going to the country in the first half of next year, Labour is less likely to be punished by an electorate dispirited by a lengthy recession. "There is now a strong body of opinion that this would be ideal timing and that Gordon could win in June," said a party official.
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