I just don’t understand all the election fever that appears to be flying around at the moment. An early election has never been on the cards, and won’t happen.

No matter how the Conservatives poll lead appears to decline, and seems to remain at a relatively low level, it is a potential opportunity that Gordon Brown simply cannot take, however much he may like to. Very simply because we are right at the start of a recession, however much Opposition politicans may call for an election to be held.

An election at this time would go very much against Brown, no matter what is suggested by recent polls. The people do not appreciate such baldly opportunistic moves, especially when it is at a time when there are rather more pressing matters.

All an early election would so in this current economic climate is turn the people even more against politicians, as they would have put themselves before us.

There will not be a general election in February, and I would be very surprised were a general election to be called during 2009 at all.