Britain goes to polls on May 6 after 13 years of Labour rule
Source: Agencies |
April 7, 2010, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
BRITAIN will hold national elections on May 6, Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced yesterday.
The campaign will be dominated by a recession-wracked economy and a sense that 13 years of Labour rule may be coming to an end.
Brown has a difficult task ahead, with the Labour Party trailing in opinion polls and Britain's economy still fragile after the worst recession in decades.
Britain's opposition Conservatives hope to win a national election for the first time since 1992.
Labour is as much as 10 points behind the Conservatives and their leader David Cameron, 43, in some opinion polls.
Struggling
Britain's struggling economy and enormous debt will dominate the election campaign. Both Labour and the Conservatives say they will trim spending and slash the country's 167 billion pound (US$250 billion) deficit - but they differ on how deep, and how soon, to make cuts.
Brown promised to "fight on behalf of hard-working families on middle-class and modest incomes," and said only Labour could be trusted to keep the economy out of a possible second downturn.
"Britain is on the road to recovery, and nothing we do should put that recovery at risk," he said.
"That is why I am asking the British people for a clear and straightforward mandate."
Defeat would bring to a close a political era that began with Tony Blair's landslide 1997 victory which returned Labour to power and brought an unprecedented three successive electoral triumphs for the center-left party.
Brown, 59, who succeeded Blair in 2007, said he'll stake his chances on his record in guiding Britain through the global economic meltdown.
Cameron said his task was to convince ordinary Britons he can lead an economic revival, and offer an upbeat message about the country's future.
"This election is about the future of our economy, it's about the future of our society. It's about the future of our country," said Cameron.
"It's the most important election for a generation, and it comes down to this: You don't have to put up with another five years of Gordon Brown."
His party has pledged to implement about 6 billion pounds in spending cuts this year. Labour says major cuts should be deferred until 2011 to give the economy more time to recover.
Cameron's party also plans to cut the number of politicians, offer tax breaks to married couples and overhaul Britain's education system.
Brown promises a public referendum on changing Britain's voting system, improved cancer treatment and a new high speed national rail network.
The parties agree on international issues - both would keep troops in Afghanistan and seek to preserve the so-called "special relationship" with the United States.
The campaign is to feature the first televised debates between the leaders of Labour, the Conservatives and the third-placed Liberal Democrats.
The campaign will be dominated by a recession-wracked economy and a sense that 13 years of Labour rule may be coming to an end.
Brown has a difficult task ahead, with the Labour Party trailing in opinion polls and Britain's economy still fragile after the worst recession in decades.
Britain's opposition Conservatives hope to win a national election for the first time since 1992.
Labour is as much as 10 points behind the Conservatives and their leader David Cameron, 43, in some opinion polls.
Struggling
Britain's struggling economy and enormous debt will dominate the election campaign. Both Labour and the Conservatives say they will trim spending and slash the country's 167 billion pound (US$250 billion) deficit - but they differ on how deep, and how soon, to make cuts.
Brown promised to "fight on behalf of hard-working families on middle-class and modest incomes," and said only Labour could be trusted to keep the economy out of a possible second downturn.
"Britain is on the road to recovery, and nothing we do should put that recovery at risk," he said.
"That is why I am asking the British people for a clear and straightforward mandate."
Defeat would bring to a close a political era that began with Tony Blair's landslide 1997 victory which returned Labour to power and brought an unprecedented three successive electoral triumphs for the center-left party.
Brown, 59, who succeeded Blair in 2007, said he'll stake his chances on his record in guiding Britain through the global economic meltdown.
Cameron said his task was to convince ordinary Britons he can lead an economic revival, and offer an upbeat message about the country's future.
"This election is about the future of our economy, it's about the future of our society. It's about the future of our country," said Cameron.
"It's the most important election for a generation, and it comes down to this: You don't have to put up with another five years of Gordon Brown."
His party has pledged to implement about 6 billion pounds in spending cuts this year. Labour says major cuts should be deferred until 2011 to give the economy more time to recover.
Cameron's party also plans to cut the number of politicians, offer tax breaks to married couples and overhaul Britain's education system.
Brown promises a public referendum on changing Britain's voting system, improved cancer treatment and a new high speed national rail network.
The parties agree on international issues - both would keep troops in Afghanistan and seek to preserve the so-called "special relationship" with the United States.
The campaign is to feature the first televised debates between the leaders of Labour, the Conservatives and the third-placed Liberal Democrats.
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