Campbell and Cameron call for early election
The leaders of the two main opposition parties are looking at the possibility of a general election as early as next year.
David Cameron and Menzies Campbell have both spoken out about the chances of a new general election being called well before the projected date of 2009/10.
“Tony Blair said at the last election he would serve a full term, so when he goes, no subsequent Labour prime minister can really in their heart claim to have a mandate from the British people,” the Tory leader told Classic FM.
“So it would be right actually to hold a general election as soon as is reasonably possible, because the British people thought they were electing Tony Blair.
“He’s off. Someone new is coming. They need a mandate,” Mr Cameron said.
Sir Menzies was also on record yesterday talking about the possibility of an early general election.
“A snap general election next year is a real possibility,” the Lib Dem leader said.
Steve Webb, who took control of co-ordinating the Liberal Democrat election manifesto in October, added: “At the next election the Liberal Democrat manifesto will be a bold and clear statement of liberal principles applied to the rapidly changing world in which we live.”
In September Tony Blair said he would resign as prime minister inside a year, and with May marking the tenth anniversary of his premiership many are predicting this will be the date of his departure.
Gordon Brown is widely tipped to succeed Mr Blair, however left-winger John McDonnell has declared he would stand against Mr Brown, if only in the interests of democracy to prevent an outright coronation.
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