Whelan lets the cat out of the bag but rising unemployment may delay talk of 2009 elections

A worrying sign for Labour in the papers this morning.The Independent reporting that

Unemployment is rising faster in Labour's most vulnerable seats and in the constituencies of nearly the entire Cabinet, new figures reveal today.
Scores of Labour marginals have suffered the fastest-rising unemployment levels over the past 12 months, fuelling fears in the party that the recession will cost Gordon Brown the next election.

This of course may be a factor in issues surrounding the calling of the next election with the Times reporting that

June 2009 would be an “ideal opportunity” to hold an election, according to Charlie Whelan, who was Brown’s press secretary when he was chancellor and is now political officer to Unite, Britain’s biggest trade union.