Poll rumours mount as Brown hires election chief
Thursday, 9 August 2007 12:00 AM
Gordon Brown has done nothing to dent rumours of an early general election with the appointment of an election chief.
Former lobbyist Jon Mendelsohn has been drafted in to prepare the Labour party for a general election.
Mr Brown does not have to go to the polls until spring 2010 but speculation has been rife around Westminster that he will call an early election to seek his own mandate and capitalise on his initial honeymoon period.
Some reports have claimed Mr Brown will announce an October election at this year's party conference, forcing the Conservative's to cancel their own gathering to prepare for the polls.
Others forecast a general election in spring or autumn 2008.
Mr Mendelsohn takes up his position on September 3 2007 and will report to election coordinator Douglas Alexander and Labour general secretary Peter Watt.
Mr Watt said: "Jon is an experienced and successful businessman who is Labour to his core. Bringing him to work now on our preparations for the general election is an important step in our building for the future.
"I know both his business knowledge and his commitment to helping us win a fourth term will be invaluable to call upon."
Mr Mendelsohn worked as an advisor to Tony Blair between 1995 and 1997 before co-founding the lobbying firm LLM Communications.
He has been a long-term supporter of Mr Brown and donated £5,000 to fund his uncontested leadership bid.
Mr Mendelsohn said yesterday: "As a lifelong Labour supporter and a passionate believer in social justice and equality, I am delighted to take up this post, helping the party prepare for the next general election.
"I hope that I can play my part in seeing the Labour government re-elected once again so Gordon Brown can continue to change Britain for the better."
The Conservatives have hit out at his appointment and said serious questions need to be asked about the selection of a former lobbyist.
Senior Tory Chris Grayling said: "This is further evidence of the 'you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours' culture that Gordon Brown has brought with him from Number 11 to Number 10 Downing Street.
"This man is a director of a leading lobbying firm that has boasted about its access to ministers and now he is going to bail out Labour's finances."
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