The election starting gun has been fired in Scunthorpe

8.37.00pm GMT Sun 10th Jan 2010

Neil and Nick Clegg met in Sheffield

The election starting gun has been fired in Scunthorpe, despite the Prime Minister refusing to name a date for the poll.

Gordon Brown must call the poll before June 3 - and can pick any date before hand. March 25 and May 6 have been touted as possible dates but the PM has not confirmed anything.

Liberal Democrat candidate Cllr Neil Poole said: "We have been delivering Liberal Democrat leaflets and canvassing in Scunthorpe for the past seven years." The Liberal Democrat vote doubled at the 2005 general election and the local party are now working hard to double it again in 2010.

"I am out and about meeting the electorate seven days a week and getting a great response. Local people know I'm Scunthorpe born and bred that I would be Scunthorpe's MP in Westminster and not a Westminster MP in Scunthorpe."

"I believe the result in Scunthorpe will be very close and I will keep working hard to win."