GENERAL ELECTION - IT'S NOVEMBER 1st

28-09-2007

The Stirrer has been forced to revise his prediction of the General Election date - but only by one day. Having forecast an October poll, we've now been tipped the wink by Labour insiders that voting will take place on November the 1st.

That's certainly the buzz among those attending the party conference in Bournemouth and "those in the know" in the West Midlands.

Don't expect the announcement just yet though. The Prime Minister is unlikely to name the date this side of the Tory conference.

One of the key factors in the decision to call the snap poll is - we are reliably assured - Labour's local council by-election victory in Birmingham's Brandwood ward, previously held by the late Ken Hardeman.

His 309 vote majority was overturned by Mike Leddy who romped home with 335 votes to spare.

In the immediate aftermath, Birmingham Labour leader Albert Bore said "the fightback starts here" (see link here) and pointed to other by-election victories on the same night in Worcester and Nuneaton as evidence of a broader swing towards the government.

That's a rallying cry which has now been taken up by Gordon Brown's inner circle who are now sufficiently confident of victory that they are willing to test public opinion.

Remember, remember, the 1st of November - you heard it here first.