HUNDREDS of volunteers have been put on standby for a possible snap general election, the Daily Echo can reveal.

Potential polling stations in Bournemouth borough have been given standby notices by the council staff who look after elections, after rumours of a possible November 1 poll swept the political community.

A spokesman for the council explained that while it always maintains contingency plans for an election at any time, for instance, in case of a national emergency or the death of the Prime Minister, they had stepped up their readiness in recent weeks.

"We have a database to hand of around 2,000 people who have previously worked on elections in Bournemouth," said the spokesman. "In the event of a snap election being called they can be called on to man polling stations and run the count."

For many weeks politicians and commentators have been speculating that Prime Minister Gordon Brown may use his speech to the Labour Party conference in Bournemouth next month to fire the starting gun for a snap election.

A report in the Daily Telegraph suggested that high approval ratings, combined with worrying polls for Conservative leader David Cameron, could persuade the new Prime Minis- ter to go to the country as early as October.

Potential election dates include October 25 or November 1, and a source has told the Daily Echo that the November 1 rumours were so strong that they prompted Bournemouth Borough Council to consider the possibility of an early poll.

Speculation about an early election has been bubbling since Gordon Brown took over the premiership in June. But better-than-expected opinion polls, reflecting the former chancellor's handling of crises including the Glasgow Airport terror attacks, the foot-and-mouth outbreak and the devastating floods, have prompted his supporters to push for an early poll to capitalise on his popularity.

Thoughts of an early poll are also occupying the Conservatives. Only two weeks ago Tory chairman Caroline Spelman warned candidates that an election could be called "at any time from the beginning of September" and it is understood that the Conservatives have drawn up an emergency manifesto in preparation.