Brown to use Queen's speech in bid to restore confidence in Labour

Monday, May 12, 2008

Reforms in the areas of education, health and housing will form the centrepiece of the Government's draft Queen's Speech, expected later this week.

Mr Brown faced fresh pressure yesterday after extracts of John Prescott's autobiography revealed that he had challenged Tony Blair to sack Mr Brown and was forced to intervene "hundreds" of times to ease feuding between the two men. He revealed that Mr Brown was "frustrating, annoying, bewildering and prickly" during meetings, but said Mr Blair had repeatedly reneged on promises to stand down as Prime Minister.

Lord Levy also added to Mr Brown's woes, insisting in a BBC interview that it was "inconceivable" that the former chancellor did not know about the loans to Labour at the heart of the "cash for honours" scandal.

A senior aide to the Prime Minister denied the claim, describing it as "unmitigated garbage". Mr Brown excluded himself from fundraising because of his former role as Chancellor.

A poll in the Mail on Sunday also predicted defeat for Labour in the Crewe and Nantwich by-election, giving the Conservatives a four point lead in the constituency – a 10 point swing to the Tories since the general election.

Stephen Byers, the Blairite former cabinet minister, warned that "the electoral clock is ticking for Gordon Brown. The next few months will be make-or-break time." He warned that Labour under Mr Brown was seen as "distant and uncaring" and accused the Prime Minister of taking decisions on tax to secure "tactical advantage".

Further problems for Mr Brown emerged on Saturday when Cherie Blair accused him of "rattling the keys" over Tony Blair to try to force him from office.

Labour MPs reacted with anger at the string of comments from former Government figures.

One senior Labour backbencher said: "While the chequebooks must be attractive, I'm not sure it does anything to increase the sum total of human knowledge. The public prefers parties that look as though they have a common view of things. There's a lesson to all of us in that."

Mr Brown's draft Queen's Speech will herald education reforms to establish a new independent exams standards watchdog. He is also expected to include new measures to get parents involved in their children's education, as well as action to promote affordable housing to combat gloom in the property market.

The statement on measures to compensate low paid workers who lost out after the abolition of the 10p tax band is being finalised by the Chancellor, Alistair Darling. Ministers hope to release the details this week and a statement could come as early as tomorrow.

Senior ministers are also planning initiatives to combat rising food prices and tackle long-term care for the elderly.

Changes to bring the NHS closer to patients are also expected, along with reform of the police, new English tests for people applying for citizenship and measures to promote affordable housing.

Mr Darling moved yesterday to respond to concerns over rising food prices with a strongly worded challenge to European finance ministers to reform the system of EU subsidies to stop it inflating the cost of produce. He also called for import tariffs on food to be suspended or cut, saying that it was "unacceptable" to put "high import tariffs" on agricultural goods.

Mr Brown will launch a major consultation today on the future of long-term care for the elderly amid warnings that Britain's ageing population could create a £6bn black hole in the care budget.Hewill warn that reform is needed to cope with the estimated two million more people needing care in 20 years' time.

Who needs enemies ...

JOHN PRESCOTT

• "There must have been hundreds of phone calls, meetings, pre-summits, summits and dinners on various Blair-Brown issues. They would row, they would seek my support. I would try to get them to see the other's point of view and eventually arrange a dinner. Peace would be restored for a while and then something else would flare up."
  
• "I said to him [Brown] 'If this is how you feel, that you've been misled once again, resign.' I think he thought about it, but it never came to that. He was aware of the possible consequences."
  
• "With Tony, when he was moaning on about Gordon's behaviour, I'd say 'Sack him. Find a new Chancellor if that's how you really feel.' But neither could take the final step.
  
• "They were caught in their own trap. Tony knew that sacking Gordon would tear the party apart."
  
• "Gordon could go off like a volcano, but Tony doesn't like the full-frontal approach."

CHERIE BLAIR

• "The problem between Gordon and me is not personal. It is because I thought my husband was the best person for the job and it is a damn difficult job. As far as Gordon's impatience about Tony moving on was a difficulty, I thought it was [one] Tony could do without."
  
• "So I was just terribly partisan for Tony and I'm sure Sarah is partisan for Gordon, and so she should be. And the good thing is Gordon is not alone in No 10. He has Sarah and the children, so even in these darkest moments he knows there is something important outside politics for him."
  
• "Lord Levy doesn't know anything! I know Tony thinks Gordon could win the election and I know that he has spoken to Gordon about that. Tony has given Gordon advice. [They] talk to each other even now."

LORD LEVY

• "I would find it very strange that the person who is leading the election campaign for Labour, that is Gordon, who has to fight the election, who has to fund the election, [did not] know where the monies are coming from because the party is spending considerable sums of money. Surely you're going to ask, 'Well how is this being funded? Are we bringing in the money on donations?'"
  
• "My view is I would be very surprised – and as I think I said in the book, it would be inconceivable that he really didn't know what was going on."