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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Darling frustrated by Labour mood | Darling frustrated by Labour mood |
| (18 minutes later) | |
| Chancellor Alistair Darling has urged Labour to "come out fighting", comparing his party to a football team which has "lost the will to live". | Chancellor Alistair Darling has urged Labour to "come out fighting", comparing his party to a football team which has "lost the will to live". |
| Speaking to the Observer on the eve of Labour's last annual conference before the general election, he says every minister should take responsibility. | Speaking to the Observer on the eve of Labour's last annual conference before the general election, he says every minister should take responsibility. |
| Meanwhile, the Prime Minister has fought back against critics of the government's handling of the economy. | Meanwhile, the Prime Minister has fought back against critics of the government's handling of the economy. |
| He has promised a new legal commitment to halving the public debt by 2015. | He has promised a new legal commitment to halving the public debt by 2015. |
| In the newspaper interview, Mr Darling accuses Labour - from the Prime Minister and himself down - of appearing to concede the advantage to the Conservatives without a fight. | In the newspaper interview, Mr Darling accuses Labour - from the Prime Minister and himself down - of appearing to concede the advantage to the Conservatives without a fight. |
| "From the prime minister, the chancellor, every government minister. It is all our responsibilities," he says. | "From the prime minister, the chancellor, every government minister. It is all our responsibilities," he says. |
| Likening the party to a losing football side who have allowed their heads to drop well before the final whistle, he says: "We don't look as if we have got fire in our bellies." | Likening the party to a losing football side who have allowed their heads to drop well before the final whistle, he says: "We don't look as if we have got fire in our bellies." |
| 'Understand problem' | 'Understand problem' |
| It comes as an ICM poll for the News of the World finds more than half of those surveyed still think Mr Brown could win the next election. | It comes as an ICM poll for the News of the World finds more than half of those surveyed still think Mr Brown could win the next election. |
| Some 11% of the 1,003 adults say Labour has a good chance of winning with Brown and 48% say it has a slim chance. But 41% think it probably or definitely has no chance, the poll finds. | Some 11% of the 1,003 adults say Labour has a good chance of winning with Brown and 48% say it has a slim chance. But 41% think it probably or definitely has no chance, the poll finds. |
| In an interview with the newspaper, Mr Brown says he can get the economy under control without massive cuts. | In an interview with the newspaper, Mr Brown says he can get the economy under control without massive cuts. |
| As well as pledging to cut Britain's £175bn deficit, he says: "We should protect frontline services and continue to invest in a high growth, high employment future." | |
| In a separate interview in the Sunday Telegraph, Mr Brown says he wants to represent the interests of the UK's "squeezed middle classes" affected by the recession. | In a separate interview in the Sunday Telegraph, Mr Brown says he wants to represent the interests of the UK's "squeezed middle classes" affected by the recession. |
| "These are the people who I identify with and understand the problems they face," he tells the paper. | "These are the people who I identify with and understand the problems they face," he tells the paper. |
| Conference plans | Conference plans |
| Mr Brown was greeted by cheering Labour activists as he arrived in Brighton for the conference on Saturday. | Mr Brown was greeted by cheering Labour activists as he arrived in Brighton for the conference on Saturday. |
| Accompanied by his wife Sarah, a beaming Mr Brown shook hands with his deputy, Harriet Harman, and Labour General Secretary Ray Collins as he arrived at his hotel. | Accompanied by his wife Sarah, a beaming Mr Brown shook hands with his deputy, Harriet Harman, and Labour General Secretary Ray Collins as he arrived at his hotel. |
| But BBC political correspondent Iain Watson said the prime minister still had to convince some delegates he was the right man to lead Labour into the election. | But BBC political correspondent Iain Watson said the prime minister still had to convince some delegates he was the right man to lead Labour into the election. |
| Stop complaining and get campaigning John Prescott Speedier tests for cancer planned | Stop complaining and get campaigning John Prescott Speedier tests for cancer planned |
| Mr Brown is expected to unveil in his speech on Tuesday a promise that patients in England will get key cancer tests within two weeks of seeing their GP - funded from savings worth £1bn from the NHS's capital budget over five years. | Mr Brown is expected to unveil in his speech on Tuesday a promise that patients in England will get key cancer tests within two weeks of seeing their GP - funded from savings worth £1bn from the NHS's capital budget over five years. |
| Our correspondent says the prime minister is also expected to claim credit for economic recovery during his address to delegates. | Our correspondent says the prime minister is also expected to claim credit for economic recovery during his address to delegates. |
| The conference follows a summer in which Mr Brown has faced criticism for writing a letter of congratulations to England's victorious Ashes cricket team while keeping silent on the release of the Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi. | The conference follows a summer in which Mr Brown has faced criticism for writing a letter of congratulations to England's victorious Ashes cricket team while keeping silent on the release of the Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi. |
| The former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott has urged Labour supporters to "stop complaining and get campaigning". | The former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott has urged Labour supporters to "stop complaining and get campaigning". |
| At the "Go Fourth" rally he said he had launched his campaign to secure a fourth term in office for Labour when "miserable beggars were saying we should get rid of Gordon Brown." | At the "Go Fourth" rally he said he had launched his campaign to secure a fourth term in office for Labour when "miserable beggars were saying we should get rid of Gordon Brown." |
| He said: "They were wrong then and they are wrong now." | He said: "They were wrong then and they are wrong now." |