Brown sees more troops home by Christmas

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown yesterday announced that 500 more soldiers would be home from the unpopular war in Iraq by the end of the year, fuelling speculation he may soon call a national election.

On his first visit to Iraq as Prime Minister, Mr Brown said Iraq could take responsibility for security in Basra province within two months, completing the transfer of power in all four southern provinces for which Britain was once responsible.

Britain has been trimming its Iraq force from 5,500 since moving 500 soldiers from a palace in the city of Basra to a vast airbase on its outskirts in early September. The total now stands at about 5,250 and was due to fall to 5,000 soon.

"I believe that by the end of the year British troops can be reduced to 4,500," Mr Brown told reporters during a visit to Baghdad. "That releases 1,000 of our troops and hopefully they will be home by Christmas."

Speculation is mounting in Britain that Mr Brown, who has a solid lead in the opinion polls, will call an early election to win a popular mandate after taking over from Tony Blair in June.

A reduction in British troop numbers in Iraq was seen by some analysts as a signal that a vote was on the cards. Blair's decision to go to war in Iraq was deeply unpopular in Britain and Mr Brown has sought to draw a line under his rule.

Mr Brown, who does not need to call an election until 2010, declined to comment on the election talk.