UK to the polls on May 5

2005-03-22 22:50

London - Prime Minister Tony Blair is preparing to call a general election in Britain for May 5 within the next fortnight, the BBC reported on Tuesday.

Andrew Marr, the broadcaster's political editor, said without giving any sources that on April 4 or 5, Blair would ask Queen Elizabeth to dissolve parliament to make way for a month of official campaigning.

A spokesperson for Blair refused to confirm the report.

Britain's main political parties have been on the campaign trail for several weeks, despite the prime minister's reluctance to name the actual day.

The Labour Party government officially has until June 2006 to hold a general election, but governments in recent years have favoured four-year terms.

At the weekend, expectations of an imminent announcement of the election grew after the Sunday Times reported that the prime minister would hold a cabinet meeting on March 31 to approve his party's election manifesto.

The meeting - which, unusually, would come during a parliament break for the Easter holidays - would pave the way for Blair to call an election on April 4 and confirm that polling would take place on May 5, said the newspaper.

- AFP