As the Conservative lead has been cut to just four points, according to one poll, David Cameron today called for an election, saying:

I am desperately worried that this Government is leaving the country in so much debt that in future generations we are going to have the public finances of Italy, and we are going to be paying this off for generations. I think they are making a massive mistake now.

” know that opposition leaders always call for an election, but I think we really need one. None of this was in Labour’s manifesto, and they are asking people to go ahead with a borrowing binge now that is going to load up taxes and debt for future generations.

I want to stop that now and the only way to stop it is to have an election.

Yes, but… I’m just not convinced. Surely, the last thing Britain needs is an election? We are in the middle of a recession, and no matter how bad the government are running it, running up our national debt to extreme levels – each persons share being more than £21,500!

However, the claim that ‘the people want the government to get on with the job’ isn’t quite true – the people want the government to get us through the recession. But the way Labour are going about it isn’t the right way, but only the way to a longer recession.

This is basically Cameron giving Brown pause for thought before he even contemplates holding an election – and so that if he does, Cameron can cliam that he has given in to his call.

But I still don’t think an election is the way to go, even if Labour would hold one. Which they won’t, despite the apparently more favourable polls – after all, only 14 months ago, Brown had a lead of 4%. Then again, it may well be that this will be Brown’s last chance to get any sort of good result for Labour…