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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Brown fails to end snap poll talk | Brown fails to end snap poll talk |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown has again refused to rule out an imminent general election, but has said he is focusing on "getting on with the job". | Prime Minister Gordon Brown has again refused to rule out an imminent general election, but has said he is focusing on "getting on with the job". |
| Asked to rule out an October election, he said there was "a time and a place" to discuss elections - this was not it. | Asked to rule out an October election, he said there was "a time and a place" to discuss elections - this was not it. |
| Mr Brown was asked a number of times to rule out an autumn election during his second prime ministerial news briefing. | Mr Brown was asked a number of times to rule out an autumn election during his second prime ministerial news briefing. |
| He also said Britain would continue to "discharge our responsibility" on Iraq, after troops left central Basra. | He also said Britain would continue to "discharge our responsibility" on Iraq, after troops left central Basra. |
| On Monday 550 UK soldiers completed a withdrawal from central Basra to join 5,000 troops at an airbase outside the city, taking up an "overwatch" role. | On Monday 550 UK soldiers completed a withdrawal from central Basra to join 5,000 troops at an airbase outside the city, taking up an "overwatch" role. |
| Floods and terrorism | |
| There has been much speculation since Mr Brown took over as prime minister in June, that he may call an early general election - particularly after an apparent "bounce" for Labour in the opinion polls. | |
| On Tuesday Mr Brown refused to rule out an October election, but said: "I said when I took over as prime minister that it would be getting on with the job that concerned me and what I wanted to do." | |
| I just prefer to get on with the business of government Gordon Brown | |
| He said his "whole attention" had been devoted over summer to dealing with the floods, terrorism, foot-and-mouth disease and issues in Iraq and Afghanistan - and said education would be an "important theme" of the autumn. | |
| He added: "I think a lot of speculation about early elections comes from those people who early in the summer were demanding that we have an election and now in the last few weeks have been demanding that we don't have an election and I just prefer to get on with the business of government." | |
| When Mr Brown took over, both the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats demanded an early election - arguing Mr Brown did not have a mandate from the British people - as he had been voted in by members of the Labour Party only. | |
| The prime minister was also asked whether, if an election were called, he would be prepared to take part in televised debates with opposition leaders - something that had proved popular in other countries - to help boost voter interest. | |
| Mr Brown said in Britain people could watch him take part in a weekly debate with opposition leaders - in the House of Commons at prime minister's question time - but said there would be a "heavy level of debate over the next few months". |