Mr Brown took over as prime minister in June

Asked to rule out an October election, he said there was "a time and a place" to discuss elections - this was not it.

Mr Brown was asked a number of times to rule out an autumn election during his second prime ministerial news briefing.

He also said Britain would continue to "discharge our responsibility" on Iraq, after troops left central Basra.

On Monday 550 UK soldiers completed a withdrawal from central Basra to join 5,000 troops at an airbase outside the city, taking up an "overwatch" role.

Floods and terrorism

There has been much speculation since Mr Brown took over as prime minister in June, that he may call an early general election - particularly after an apparent "bounce" for Labour in the opinion polls.

On Tuesday Mr Brown refused to rule out an October election, but said: "I said when I took over as prime minister that it would be getting on with the job that concerned me and what I wanted to do."

I just prefer to get on with the business of government Gordon Brown UK and US 'on same path' in Iraq Brown 'ducking TV debate'

He said his "whole attention" had been devoted over summer to dealing with the floods, terrorism, foot-and-mouth disease and issues in Iraq and Afghanistan - and said education would be an "important theme" of the autumn.

He added: "I think a lot of speculation about early elections comes from those people who early in the summer were demanding that we have an election and now, in the last few weeks, have been demanding that we don't have an election and I just prefer to get on with the business of government."

Televised debates

When Mr Brown took over, both the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats demanded an early election - arguing Mr Brown did not have a mandate from the British people - as he had been voted in by members of the Labour Party only.

Mr Brown also paid tribute to the Conservative former prime minister Margaret Thatcher, saying she was a "conviction politician" who had "seen the need for change".

He contrasted that with current Tory leader David Cameron, who has faced some criticism from within his own party - saying he had become a "prisoner of the factions" in the Conservatives.

And he talked about gun crime, following the death of 11-year-old Rhys Jones in Liverpool, saying he had plans to give the police more powers to intercept guns, including stop and search in some areas. He also said they would have to tackle the supply of guns in "hot spots in the country".