GORDON Brown was last night under growing pressure to call a general election amid fresh evidence that the expenses scandal has crushed support for the established political order.
A poll yesterday found that two-thirds of voters believed an election should be held before Christmas while, in another poll, eight out of ten voters said they would back an independent candidate in favour of any MP currently tarnished by sleaze.
The polls suggest that even MPs in safe seats could be toppled amid an unprecedented crisis of trust in the current parliament.
Ministers are now suggesting that Brown may be forced to call an election in the autumn to demonstrate the government understands the level of public dismay.
Another Labour MP announced he would be stepping down at the next election yesterday, although former party chairman Ian McCartney blamed health problems for his decision to quit.
Last week, after it emerged he had paid back almost £15,000 in expenses last year, he declared: "This is a system that has put at risk the reputation of dedicated public servants like me."
Meanwhile, the Tory MP Sir Peter Viggers, who claimed £1,645 to pay for a "floating duck island" at his taxpayer-funded second home, described himself as "ashamed and humiliated" by the affair. He said his decision to charge the taxpayer was "a ridiculous and grave error of judgment".
A new ICM poll found that 36 per cent of respondents believe an election should be held as soon as possible, while a further 30 per cent say they want an election before Christmas.
A separate poll funded by the religious think-tank Ekklesia found that 78 per cent of respondents would like to see independent candidates standing against MPs found to have behaved "unethically".
More than half of those asked – 53 per cent – said they would now "seriously consider" supporting an independent against an MP embroiled in the expenses affair.
Ekklesia co-director Jonathan Bartley said: "Across the country there are MPs in safe seats who will neither be deselected by their parties, nor face any significant challenge by candidates from other parties, despite behaviour that their constituents consider unacceptable."
He added: "The poll suggests that the real problem has been an old party-dominated system which has been inaccessible.
"In contrast the fall-out from the expenses scandal has clearly brought hope of a new system and new ways of political engagement that people feel they can connect with."
Broadcaster Esther Rantzen has said she is "80 per cent on" to stand for election as an independent in Luton South against MP Margaret Moran.
Brown's inner circle still do not expect the Prime Minister to call an election before the latest date – June 2010.
But there is also growing speculation within the party that, if Labour is wiped out at next week's European elections, Brown could face an immediate leadership challenge.
One possibility being discussed in senior circles within the Labour party is that Health Secretary Alan Johnson would then take over from Brown and then call an election for October.
Insiders say that a trigger for such a challenge could be if Labour fall to a previously inconceivable fourth place in the European elections, behind the Conservatives, the LibDems and UKIP.
In a further development yesterday, it was reported that Brown had attempted to "make peace" with Communities Secretary Hazel Blears after savaging her last week over her own expense claims.
Brown accused Blears of "completely unacceptable" behaviour after it emerged she had "flipped" her second home, thereby avoiding capital gains tax when she came to sell it.
The Prime Minister is now understood to have told Blears that he went too far in criticising her.
The full article contains 630 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
