Will he or won't he?

Despite mainstream press speculation being uncharacteristically low key regarding the prospect of an October election, The Iron Fist has yet to rule one out, and there have been some interesting movements that suggest that Old Gordy isn't quite ready to show all his cards yet.

His appearence on the front page of the Guardian alongside Lady Thather on Thursday, days after telling the TUC to go fuck itself with regards to pay rises for the public sector, for example, suggests a serious play for the those vulnerable voters on the rebound from Cameron and craving stability. Add to this his "British jobs for British workers" speil and you have someone who is making all the right noises to capitalise on a still fragmented Tory party.

Similarily, his slight to the TUC speaks volumes in terms of timing. It would be a foolish move to start alienating the Union's so early on in his premiership if it didn't mean some immediate political capital. As it stands, he has appealed to the right while managing not to offend the Union's too much, or at least too repeatedly, so he can still claim to be one of the old boys when it comes to election time and make up the ground after he secures his mandate.

The other parties are also making some serious preperations, with the hiring of millionaire brat and PR dreamboat Zac Goldsmith as environment tsar (why is it always rich people who want to save the planet so much?) by the Tories and the release of some eye-catching policies by the Lib Dems suggesting no-one has dismissed the possibility of an Autumn fight just yet.

In the coming weeks, Brown will no doubt have one cunning eye on the Polls and the other on the Party Conferences, and most likely even he won't know for sure until the moment arrives.