Election fever 'has damaged PM'

Gordon Brown explained his decision to the BBC

Scottish opposition politicians have insisted the prime minister's credibility has been damaged after he ruled out calling a snap election.

Gordon Brown told the BBC he had had a "duty" to consider whether to hold an election, but decided against it so he could show his "vision" for Britain.

The SNP said the PM had suffered a "dramatic loss" of credibility.

Scottish Secretary Des Browne said the only person scared of an election was First Minister Alex Salmond.

Mr Salmond told BBC Radio Scotland's Sunday Live programme: "Credibility is a rare commodity in politics, once you start to lose it it's very, very difficult to get it back again.

No amount of bluster from Alex Salmond can conceal his betrayal of the voters Scottish Secretary Des Brown Brown branded a 'feartie'

"He's saying that he based his decision on a range of factors, when every single person knows he was biting his nails and poring over the opinion polls and trying to decide what was best for Gordon Brown - that deception is a problem for the prime minister."

But the Scottish Secretary said the PM had made the right decision in the long-term interest of Scotland.

He said: "Labour in Scotland is day-by-day exposing the SNP's broken promises and no amount of bluster from Alex Salmond can conceal his betrayal of the voters."

Annabel Goldie, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, said her party had been ready to fight an election and accused the prime minister of treating the British public in a "contemptuous" manner.

Ms Goldie said: "I think Gordon Brown has damaged his own perception in the eyes of the public.

The voters, I guess, know this is a pretty spectacular guddle Brian Taylor BBC Scotland political editor Read Brian Taylor's blog

"First of all he seemed to dither and be indecisive, then after a great deal of anguishing and heart searching he decides not to have an election - and then says he's not doing that, not because of polls but because he wants more time to think about things.

"The British public's just not going to buy that."

Nicol Stephen, leader of the Liberal Democrats in Scotland, said the espisode reflected very badly on Gordon Brown.

"The whole mess shows why no prime minister should have the power to call a snap election," he said.

"The solution is for the House of Commons to have a four year fixed-term, like the Scottish Parliament."

BBC Scotland political editor Brian Taylor stressed that the fall-out from the election speculation would be tempered by announcements in the coming weeks and months, both north and south of the border.

He said: "The voters, I guess, know this is a pretty spectacular guddle.

"But, equally, I suspect they will be more concerned in the long-term about what their leaders do - rather than, in this case, don't do."