Early elections still on cards despite victory in Scott vote

Date: 29/02/1996

JOHN Major narrowly escaped a vote of confidence in the UK parliament this week when his government scraped home in a debate on British arms sales to Iraq before the Gulf War.

The vote on the Scott report - which gave the government a majority of one - dashed the opposition Labour Party's hopes of forcing the resignation of two ministers implicated in the affair and boosted Major's confidence about fending off an early election.

But with Major's majority down to just two, following the decision last week of yet another Conservative MP to resign the party whip, there is continued speculation that an election may be held sooner rather than later.

Domestic developments in the UK are being watched closely by other EU governments, amid widespread concern that no real progress will be possible at the forthcoming Intergovernmental Conference until after the British elections. These must be held by May 1997 at the latest.