Burnham gives election date hint

An embarrassing slip of the tongue from Health Secretary Andy Burnham has provided another hint that the general election has been pencilled in for May.

The gaffe came as Mr Burnham was unveiling plans to restrict sunbed use by children.

"I hope you will add your weight in whatever way you can to the campaign, and if we focus on it we can change a little piece of the law by May this year," he told the audience in Westminster, before adding hastily: "And indeed later this year."

The crunch poll must be held by June, but most observers now expect it to take place on May 6 - the same day as local government elections.

Europe minister Chris Bryant made an even more blatant reference to the timing recently as he discussed Britain's relations with Latin American.

"I hope that by the time of the general election on May 6, relations will have improved," he told a group of envoys and academics.