Gordon Brown faces another huge electoral test next summer if he manages to survive his current problems.

Ministers are to combine next year's local elections and the European parliamentary election on one “Super Thursday” — June 4, 2009.

On the same day Mr Brown will face local elections in the English counties, where the Conservatives would even in bad years expect to do well, and a national poll to choose Britain's representatives in Europe.

This emerged in a parliamentary written reply from John Healey, the Local Government Minister. He said that he was publishing a consultation document, as he is required to do by law, on moving the planned date of the 2009 local elections from May 7.

But he gave the clearest hint that ministers believe the change should be made. He said that the local and European elections were also held on the same day in 2004, resulting in a higher turnout in the European poll than in previous years — up from 24per cent in 1999 to 38.5 per cent.

With all parties committed to improving voter turnout it is virtually certain that the Commons will decide to hold the polls on the same day.

The county elections are less promising for Labour. Those seats were fought in 2005 and 2001 on the same day as the general election. Turnout was much higher than usual and to Labour's advantage. This time, without performing particularly badly, the party could lose hundreds of seats.

For most of the current Parliament it has been assumed that Labour would hold a general election on June 4 next year. It would take a dramatic recovery for Labour to put an election in the summer of 2009 back on the agenda. All the parties are looking to 2010 as being the most probable date.

Times Recommends

• An officer and a gentle woman
• Dame Helen Mirren is worthy of the Epidaurus
• Foods that can help to prevent swine flu