Brown confirms 6 May General Election date

Gordon Brown has confirmed the General Election will be held on 6 May, with the state of the economy and the future of financial services regulation to be the key manifesto targets.

This morning, the Prime Minister visited Buckingham Palace and asked the Queen to disolve Parliament. Speaking on the steps of 10 Downing Street, Brown said "securing the recovery" was a key aim for the Labour Party. Conservative leader David Cameron said it was "about time", while the Liberal Democrat's Nick Clegg said it was "the beginning of the end for Gordon Brown". Labour's chances of a fourth consecutive term have been considered slim for months, although a Guardian/ICM poll published over the Easter weekend suggests the Conservative lead has been cut to just four points. ...