We don't know, so let's guess
Daniel Finkelstein has managed to come up with a wonderfully rich prospect for pointless speculation:
When to call an election is one problem, but here's another - when do you uncall an election?So let's have spme of that pointless speculation in the comments, here. When will he signal that there won't be an autumn election? And, more interestingly, perhaps, how and where will he give that signal?Gordon Brown will want to keep the option of an Autumn election as long as he can. But the longer he keeps it open, the more difficult it will be to call it off.
He doesn't want the media to become so convinced that he is about to fire the starting gun that everyone is disappointed when he doesn't. It's a tricky problem.
With a bit of luck I should be able to start a whole new type of pointless speculation - what is the timetable and the method for calling the whole thing off?
Previous
Blogs: Clive Davis | Melanie Phillips | Americano | Coffee House | Trading Floor
Actions: Print this article | Email to a friend | Permalink | Comments (1)
Post this entry to: del.icio.us | Digg | Newsvine | NowPublic | Reddit
Advertisement
Stephen Pollard's Blog Roll
Oliver Kamm
Politics, economics and culture from the master. Unmissable.
Daniel Finkelstein's Times Comment Central
A daily must-read.
Tim Worstall
Lots of interesting nibbles - and a ruthless swatter of economic gibberish.
Marginal Revolution
Tyler Cowen's riveting economic blog.
Harry's Place
Must-read left of centre blog from writers who understand the threat to the West.
Thought Experiments
The peerless Bryan Appleyard's blog.
Opera Chic
An American in Milan, on opera.
Intermezzo
A London-based classical music enthusiast.
Jessica Duchen's classical music blog
Does what it says on the tin.
Samizdata
Libertarian blog, packed every day.
Norm's blog
The thoroughly sensible thoughts of renowned left-wing academic Norman Geras, Professor of Government at Manchester. And cricket, too.
Public Interest
Peter Briffa's inimitable take on The Yazzmonster and other assorted demons.
Reform
The public sector reform group; their website is an invaluable source of data and ideas.
Centre for the New Europe
The leading European public policy think tank.
Latest blog posts
sponsored links
Test Drive a Land Rover
Great choice of versatile vehicles for the drive of your life..
2 for 1 Cruise Sale
Exclusive web deals and latest ship reviews.
Test Drive a Land Rover
Great choice of versatile vehicles for the drive of your life..
2 for 1 Cruise Sale
Exclusive web deals and latest ship reviews.
ROME CENTRE
PORTA METRONIA, ROME Standing high on the top of one of the seven hills of Rome- the Coelian- this unique
City Breaks. ROME and PARIS
ROME and PARIS: over 350 holiday rentals apartments listed: visit www.romanreference.com and www.parisreference.com or call +39 0648 903612.
Jewellery. RUFFS (Estd. 1904).
Goldsmiths by Design Welcome to Ruffs! You have found a company of Goldsmiths that specialises in the manufacture, amongst other
Spectator Business | Apollo Magazine
Corporate | Advertising | Privacy | Terms
Spectator, 22 Old Queen Street, London, SW1H 9HP
All Articles and Content Copyright ©2008 by The Spectator | All Rights Reserved
David Boothroyd
August 16th, 2007 12:23pmHow about going to the TUC and singing an old Vesta Victoria song (then misattributing it to Marie Lloyd)? It worked before! Seriously, there's never a good way to call off an election. In late 1991 there was speculation that John Major would go; when it was decided not to, he had his press secretary phone selected lobby hacks. This got good coverage in the select few who got the tipoff, and abysmal coverage in all the others. One of the best ways was Harold Wilson who had speculation about calling an election in October 1965 during the Conservative Party conference. Wilson suddenly announced he was seeing the Queen at Balmoral, causing utter panic among the Conservatives; then after the Royal audience, he explained that it was about Rhodesia instead.