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Brown advised against calling a snap poll |
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Fabian Question Time panel argues for later election as the fringe opens in Bournemouth.
Gordon Brown was advised to resist the temptation to call a snap Autumn election, as the opening night Fabian Question Time fringe in Bournemouth discussed 'whether the next election should be sooner rather than later'. (full transcript)
While Ed Balls, Fabian Chair and one of Gordon Brown's closest allies, naturally refused to commit himself publicly on the election timing, his fellow panellists all felt that the Prime Minister should call a later election.
Former Home Secretary David Blunkett declared himself sceptical about an early poll. 'if every rightwing newspaper want you to do something and tell you how wonderful it would be, you have to think twice about it' said former Home Secretary David Blunkett.
'He has and should have the confidence to see the winter and a good chunk of next year, if not longer, out in terms of the new team in government, delivering, getting their profile up', said Blunkett. 'I shall eat my words many times over if I'm wrong, but I think he will leave it', he said.
Academic Tony Giddens said it was an 'agonising decision' but that 'if I was Gordon I suppose I wouldn't do it because he does need to establish himself, he does need to set out what his programme is'. Historan Linda Colley also said that she felt the Prime Minister should take more time, to make progress on new policies and ideas.
I think this whole election date thing is getting in the way and I think we should calm it down', argued Fabian General Secretary Sunder Katwala.
Katwala favoured a later election – 'we want to win the next election not on a bounce but on an agenda' which would enable Labour to 'redefine the new centre ground of British politics', he said.
Ed Balls agreed that Labour's poll lead since the summer was founded on competence 'But we also want a mandate based upon a vision'.
Balls said the argument for taking more time showed the party's transition had succeeded: 'This time last year people said that you couldn't simply have a change of Prime Minister and make it feel like a change of government. A year on you are all saying it's too early for Gordon Brown, he's not had a chance to set out his vision yet and his policies for the future. He has actually been at the centre of the government for a decade and it shows that our challenge of delivering continuity and change has actually been pulled off to such an extent that it's Labour that is the change party now, not the Conservatives'.
Balls said that the discussion showed that 'it may be the balance of probabilities is against an early election - or then it may be wrong' as the political guessing game continued.
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