Labour Party president hints at election announcement

The National Party was insisting yesterday that the Government had no reason to call an early election but Labour's president, Mike Williams, gave the strongest hint so far that an announcement was imminent.

Prime Minister Helen Clark was still saying she had not made up her mind but there was intense speculation among MPs that she would name the date within a few days, possibly on Tuesday when Parliament resumes.

"Our legislative programme appears to be getting behind, and I think we're generally sort of reaching the view that things are getting a bit intolerable," Mr Williams said.

Since the Alliance split, National and Act have been hounding the Government in Parliament over the status of Deputy Prime Minister Jim Anderton.

Helen Clark has had to fend them off, and time-wasting tactics in the debating chamber have irritated Labour MPs.

Last week the business sector called on Helen Clark to declare her hand, saying speculation about whether or not she intended running the Government full term was putting off investors and companies were delaying decisions.

The most likely dates are considered to be July 27 or August 10, three to four months short of a full three-year term.

Mr English said those dates had to be regarded as a snap election, not an early election.

"There is no indication in the Parliament that the Government's support is under threat," Mr English said. "Having a snap election is serious business - there's been one snap election in my life."

The Greens and New Zealand First agree with him, saying voters put the Government in for three years and that was the term they should get.

Green co-leader Rod Donald said the Prime Minister should not have the power to say "on a whim" when an election should be held.

National has previously accused Labour of planning an early election just to take advantage of high poll ratings, and it has put campaign preparations on a fast track.

Other parties have done the same, bringing forward candidate selection processes and getting their campaign hardware ready for distribution.

- NZPA