The Election That Wasn’t

So Gordon Brown has pulled back from calling an election this November and indicated that a poll next year is also ‘unlikely’.
The last poll readings delivered to Brown made scary reading in marginal seats and he pulled back from the brink.

One of the phrases frequently bandied about concerning Gordon Brown recently is that he is a ‘conviction politician’ after he compared himself to Margaret Thatcher.
To me, the phrase ‘conviction politician’ means someone with:

• A vision based on some strongly held beliefs and principles.
• A plan to implement that vision.
• Steadfastness against compromising that vision for the sake of short-term popularity or personal, political and commercial interests.

But, as yet, Gordon Brown has not had time enough in the Top Job to demonstrate these kinds of qualities.
He was actively considering calling a snap election to take advantage of a ‘Brown Bounce’ as well as the disarray amongst the Tories around issues such as grammar schools.
This is not the hallmark of a ‘conviction politician’ but rather an opportunist obsessed with retaining the lofty office he has schemed and machinated so hard to wrest from his predecessor over the last 10 years.
I am glad that British voters have not been forced into an opportunist election at a time when neither of the main parties is particularly well organised with respect to policies, achievements and the like.
Forcing British voters to make a snap judgement on a new Prime Minister who has been invisible on issues like Iraq, the NHS and Education over the last 10 years is pointless.
I hope Brown sticks to his indication and waits until 2009 before calling an election.
Time enough for us to see what ‘convictions’ Gordon brown and David Cameron really have.