Brown announces May 6 general elections

LONDON - General election will be held in Britain on May 6, Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced on Tuesday after visiting Buckingham Palace.

Brown had earlier held a Cabinet meeting lasting three-quarters of an hour at No 10 Downing Street, during which ministers signed off on Labour’s election manifesto.

He was then driven the mile to Buckingham Palace, where the Queen arrived by helicopter this morning, having travelled from Windsor Castle.

After their private meeting, which lasted around 20 minutes, Brown returned to Downing Street to publicly announce that the general election campaign is underway, The Telegraph reported.

In a break with tradition, Brown spoke from the steps of No 10 with his Cabinet lined up behind him.

Conservative leader David Cameron welcomed the announcement.

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said he was looking forward to the month-long campaign, and insisted that the race for Number 10 was “wide open”.

Parliament, however, will not be formally dissolved until Monday, with MPs spending the next three days rushing legislation through the Commons during what is known as the “wash up”.

Brown will make a campaign visit with his wife, Sarah, in a marginal seat in the Home Counties. Cameron and his wife Sarah will visit the West Midlands and West Yorkshire.

As per two polls, the Tories have a 10-point lead, enough to form a narrow majority, while a third suggested that Labour would emerge as the largest party in a hung Parliament. (ANI)