GORDON Brown has said he finally followed his `first instinct' in scrapping plans for an autumn election - but conceded he may have delayed too long in announcing his decision.
He also said he had `seen the opinion polls' which had not been favourable. Tory leader David Cameron accused him of `clinging to office' and said: "He must think we are all stupid."
Mr Cameron said the only reason Mr Brown had called off an early poll was because he feared he might lose.
The premier decided to call his latest regular press conference in Downing Street to face the music over his climbdown.
He said: "Yes, I did consider holding an election. Yes, I looked at it.
"My first instinct, if I were honest with all of you, was that I wanted to get on with my job of putting my vision of what the future of the country was to the people of the country and deliver on it before there was ever an election.
"But I did listen to people. I looked at what people were saying. I heard from candidates in marginal seats - those candidates in marginal seats were telling us we would win the election. I happen to believe we would win at any time. I made my decision on this basis - I wanted more time to set out my vision for the future of the country."
Asked whether the situation had been handled well, Mr Brown joked with reporters: "I think your weekend has been better than mine." He also said of the decision: "I could have made it earlier, perhaps I should have made it earlier. But I decided I would make my statement at the end of the party conference season."
While insisting he did not want an election yet because he wanted time to spell out his vision for the country, he conceded: "Obviously I saw the opinion polls."
Pressed on whether there would be an election next year,, Mr Brown said: "Very unlikely - I said that on Saturday."
Mr Cameron said: "He must think we are all stupid."
He also said: "Everyone knows he has not called an election because he thought he might lose it."
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Brown: I followed my instinct
October 09, 2007
Prime Minister Gordon Brown
Showing comments 1 to 6 and replies | View All
ace, manchester (09/10/2007 at 10:38)
The Bobelesque, In The Rye (09/10/2007 at 10:52)
Joey, Ashton under Lyne, (09/10/2007 at 11:13)
When one is behind in the polls it takes a fool hardy person to say I will call a general election.
Ted Heath tried in the 70's I think he was defeated.
Technobabble, Manchester (09/10/2007 at 12:05)
Of course the next logical question is why was Mr Brown toying with the idea of a snap election at this point anyway? Is there something nasty on the horizon that we don't yet know about??
Jimc (09/10/2007 at 15:00)
You wanted to be Charlie Big Potato,s now be gone.
ace, manchester (09/10/2007 at 15:02)
Im in full agreement with you i think we are in for big problems in the next few years and brown knows that if he messes around at the moment when we get a tory into power all the problems will look like the tories have caused them? But im sure our housing problems are on the edge at the moment and we are heading for a big bang in the business and housing markets. caused by the labour party through bad management of our country .we are in massive debts..