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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| 'We'll fight every inch' - Brown | 'We'll fight every inch' - Brown |
| (28 minutes later) | |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said Labour will fight "every inch of the way" to win what will be a "big choice election" for Britain's future. | Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said Labour will fight "every inch of the way" to win what will be a "big choice election" for Britain's future. |
| Mr Brown said it would not be a referendum on his government but a choice between growth under Labour or an economy held back under the Tories. | Mr Brown said it would not be a referendum on his government but a choice between growth under Labour or an economy held back under the Tories. |
| Mr Brown told the BBC: "I think when you are behind in the polls you have got to regard yourself as the fighter. | Mr Brown told the BBC: "I think when you are behind in the polls you have got to regard yourself as the fighter. |
| "Everything I have ever won in my life I have had to fight for." | "Everything I have ever won in my life I have had to fight for." |
| "The Labour Party will fight every inch of the way. We've known what it is to lose and we've known what it is to win and we are determined to fight our way to win. And not for our interests but for the interests of the country." | "The Labour Party will fight every inch of the way. We've known what it is to lose and we've known what it is to win and we are determined to fight our way to win. And not for our interests but for the interests of the country." |
| He also rejected claims that he was engaging in class warfare against David Cameron, saying that his jibe about Tory policy being dreamt up on the playing fields of Eton was a joke. | He also rejected claims that he was engaging in class warfare against David Cameron, saying that his jibe about Tory policy being dreamt up on the playing fields of Eton was a joke. |
| Big roles | |
| He told host Andrew Marr: ''If you think the playing fields of Eton was anything other than a joke then I am afraid you take your politics too seriously.'' | He told host Andrew Marr: ''If you think the playing fields of Eton was anything other than a joke then I am afraid you take your politics too seriously.'' |
| Mr Brown said he attacked Mr Cameron for "having the wrong views... he will take us backwards" rather than because of his background. | Mr Brown said he attacked Mr Cameron for "having the wrong views... he will take us backwards" rather than because of his background. |
| ''I think the Conservatives wanted an election that was essentially a referendum on Labour. Then they thought they would get a referendum on the small issues. This is an election on the big issues.'' | ''I think the Conservatives wanted an election that was essentially a referendum on Labour. Then they thought they would get a referendum on the small issues. This is an election on the big issues.'' |
| He said the Tories had got ''everything'' wrong on the economic crisis, and would make the situation worse by cutting public spending too early. | He said the Tories had got ''everything'' wrong on the economic crisis, and would make the situation worse by cutting public spending too early. |
| He also dismissed suggestions of splits in Labour's top team saying both Business Secretary Lord Mandelson and deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman "are going to be playing big roles in the election campaign". | He also dismissed suggestions of splits in Labour's top team saying both Business Secretary Lord Mandelson and deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman "are going to be playing big roles in the election campaign". |
| Cameron "Eton" jibe just a joke | |
| Mr Brown also said he believed "there'll be a Labour Budget this spring" although he refused to say that this meant there would not be a March election. | Mr Brown also said he believed "there'll be a Labour Budget this spring" although he refused to say that this meant there would not be a March election. |
| The election must be held by June but the PM told the Andrew Marr Show he would not be "boxed in" by announcing a date now. | The election must be held by June but the PM told the Andrew Marr Show he would not be "boxed in" by announcing a date now. |
| He said Labour would promise aspiration and economic growth with the digital, creative, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals areas of industry creating a million new jobs in the coming years. | He said Labour would promise aspiration and economic growth with the digital, creative, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals areas of industry creating a million new jobs in the coming years. |
| Mr Brown contrasted that with what he called Conservative promise of "austerity", saying: "We are the only party that can take the country from recession to growth." | Mr Brown contrasted that with what he called Conservative promise of "austerity", saying: "We are the only party that can take the country from recession to growth." |
| But, with a hung parliament a possibility according to recent polls, there has been growing speculation about which party is best suited to work with the Liberal Democrats if they held the balance of power. | But, with a hung parliament a possibility according to recent polls, there has been growing speculation about which party is best suited to work with the Liberal Democrats if they held the balance of power. |
| 'Year of change' | |
| Mr Brown said: "The Liberals I think are closer to us on tax and public services, there's obviously the possibility of people working in common harmony. | Mr Brown said: "The Liberals I think are closer to us on tax and public services, there's obviously the possibility of people working in common harmony. |
| "But equally we've got party politics that come in the way. I think our policies, you know, appeal to Liberal voters because, you know, we're for alternative vote system, we're for reform of the House of Lords... and equally at the same time we've got policies on the environment and we've got policies on civil liberties which are not dissimilar to them." | "But equally we've got party politics that come in the way. I think our policies, you know, appeal to Liberal voters because, you know, we're for alternative vote system, we're for reform of the House of Lords... and equally at the same time we've got policies on the environment and we've got policies on civil liberties which are not dissimilar to them." |
| Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg's chief of staff, Danny Alexander, Labour had "failed to make Britain fair, they failed on the economy, they failed to protect our environment and they failed to clean up politics". | |
| "Labour has failed to deliver these changes; the Conservatives cannot be trusted to do so," and the only way to get "profound change" was to vote Lib Dem, he added. | |
| On Saturday Conservative leader David Cameron signalled the start of the new phase of the election build-up by saying 2010 had to be a year of change. | On Saturday Conservative leader David Cameron signalled the start of the new phase of the election build-up by saying 2010 had to be a year of change. |
| He said: "We can't go on in these difficult times with a weak prime minister and a divided government. | He said: "We can't go on in these difficult times with a weak prime minister and a divided government. |
| "The next general election is no more than 153 days away and I don't think it can come soon enough. Let's make this the year when the positive defeats the negative." | "The next general election is no more than 153 days away and I don't think it can come soon enough. Let's make this the year when the positive defeats the negative." |