May 6

In a slip worthy of a sit-com, the British Minister of Defence has told Sky News that the public will "rue the day if they wind up with a Conservative government... after the 6 May".

Oops!

Presumably a cabinet minister will know the intentions of his party and government, so Mr Ainsworth’s comments have to be taken seriously.

May 6 has been the bookies favourite for a while, but it is interesting to hear someone in a position to know confirming it.

If May 6 is the date of the Westminster election, then Gordon Brown should dissolve the current parliament on Monday April 12.