NEW CLUE TO MAY 6 POLL DATE

Downing Street and the Treasury have a “working assumption” that the Chancellor will deliver his crucial financial statement in late March, it emerged yesterday.

The timing of the Budget, in which Alistair Darling could reveal tax rises offset by vote-seeking “sweeteners”, is a key clue to the timing of the election.

Wednesday, March 24 – more than a week before Easter – has been “heavily pencilled in” as an option.

That would point to Gordon Brown asking the Queen to dissolve Parliament after Easter.

Labour would hope to wrongfoot the Tories during the few days of Budget debate.