Odds For 2008 General Election Halved

Bookmakers William Hill have slahsed the odds about a General Election being held in 2008 from 10/1 to 5/1 as political punters cotton on to rumours that Gordon Brown is planning to go to the country sooner rather than later. William Hill still make 2009 1/ 2 favourite to be the year of the next Election, but 2007 is down to 16/1 from 25/1, while Hills offer 3/1 that the next Election will not take place until 2010 or later.

Meanwhile, William Hill have shortened Labour's odds for the next General Election for the first time since they won the last one - and the bookies are putting renewed support the Party down to the new Leader.

"Since Gordon Brown was confirmed as the new Leader, punters have begun to start backing Labour seriously again - something which hasn't happened since the last Election" said William Hill's spokesman Graham Sharpe.

Hills have now cut Labour from 6/5 to Even money to be the largest Party at the next Election with the Conservatives being lengthened from 8/13 to 8/11, albeit they are still favourites. The Lib dems have been pushed out from 80/1 to 100/1 - "In their current disarray they appear to be unelectable".