This isn't my normal turf, but never mind. I don't think Gordon Brown should call an early election. Why I don't think so has nothing to do with any expectation or hunch about what the electoral outcome would be if he did. It's because, whatever the outcome, there's no good democratic rationale for calling an election now. The Labour Government has a mandate to govern that extends until the spring of 2010! Under the rules of this parliamentary democracy Gordon Brown needs no personal mandate of his own; the mandate belongs to his party. So the only conceivable reason for calling an election is to gain an electoral advantage - on the basis of polling predictions. This will be transparent to voters. What credible public justification could be offered for so unnecessarily premature a move?
If Brown does go ahead and call an election and it doesn't pay off, then he and his party will look - deservedly - sick. If it pays off, then it pays off. But it will do no credit to Brown, the Labour Party or British parliamentary democracy.
Putting on another hat now... If there's an autumn election, I'll enjoy it. I always do.
Update: David T, he says, 'Oh, I don't know.'
