Kenney rules out early election amid leadership battle

EDMONTON – Alberta Premier Jason Kenney is rejecting suggestions he may call an early election as part of a last-ditch effort to stop the infighting that is wracking his United Conservative Party.

Kenney says his government passed legislation for a fixed election date next May and will stick to it.

He says he doesn’t know who is floating rumours of a snap election call.

Kenney is facing down a vocal contingent of party members and backbenchers who say he is running a failed, top-down government that doesn’t listen to outside advice and is leading the party to destruction in the next provincial election.