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PM 'to woo middle class voters' PM targets 'middle class voters'
(about 4 hours later)
Gordon Brown is expected to make an appeal to middle class voters in his first major campaigning speech of 2010. Gordon Brown has launched an appeal to middle class voters in his first major campaigning speech of 2010.
The prime minister is expected to say Labour will create "more middle class jobs than ever before" and the party represents the "mainstream majority". The prime minister said Labour would create "more middle class jobs than ever before" and the party represents the "mainstream majority".
And he will suggest middle class voters would suffer disproportionately under Tory plans to cut public spending. He also suggested middle class voters would suffer disproportionately under Tory plans to cut public spending.
It comes after shadow chancellor George Osborne promised cuts this year if the Conservatives win the general election.It comes after shadow chancellor George Osborne promised cuts this year if the Conservatives win the general election.
In the past, Mr Brown's opponents have accused him of waging a class war.In the past, Mr Brown's opponents have accused him of waging a class war.
In a message that appears to rule out suggestions he would pursue a "core vote" strategy, the prime minister is expected to promise "a New Labour programme for the new decade". In a message that appears to rule out suggestions he would pursue a "core vote" strategy, the prime minister promised "a New Labour programme for the new decade".
The idea that a man who has spent his whole career at war with the middle classes can be their champion is laughable Philip HammondShadow chief secretary to the TreasuryThe idea that a man who has spent his whole career at war with the middle classes can be their champion is laughable Philip HammondShadow chief secretary to the Treasury
Mr Brown is expected to say "social mobility" will be his party's "theme for the coming election and the coming Parliamentary term". Mr Brown said "social mobility" would be his party's "theme for the coming election and the coming Parliamentary term".
He will tell his audience: "A fair society is one where everyone who works hard and plays by the rules has a chance to fulfil their dreams whether that's owning a bigger house, taking a holiday abroad, buying a new car or starting a small business. He said: "A fair society is one where everyone who works hard and plays by the rules has a chance to fulfil their dreams whether that's owning a bigger house, taking a holiday abroad, buying a new car or starting a small business.
"And this is the next project for New Labour, our next generation project... The coming decade will provide the UK with more middle class jobs than ever before.""And this is the next project for New Labour, our next generation project... The coming decade will provide the UK with more middle class jobs than ever before."
Mr Brown is also expected to say he has learned lessons from the financial and political crises of the last two years. Mr Brown added that in the next decade, only 10% of jobs will be unskilled - the "biggest number of middle class jobs in our history".
He is set to tell his audience that "character is formed not on the mountain tops of life when things looks easy but in the valleys when things are tough", before going on to "talk bluntly about the lessons we have learned from the turmoil of the last year". He said he would achieve this through education and that a target would be set of 75% of people aged under 30 to have access to either university or technical college.
But shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Philip Hammond has accused Gordon Brown of crippling the social mobility of the middle classes. Mr Brown also said he has learned lessons from the financial and political crises of the last two years.
Proposed Tory cutsProposed Tory cuts
Shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Philip Hammond has accused Gordon Brown of crippling the social mobility of the middle classes.
He said: "One minute Gordon Brown's a class warrior, the next he is a friend of middle Britain.He said: "One minute Gordon Brown's a class warrior, the next he is a friend of middle Britain.
"Middle Britain won't forget that it was Gordon Brown who destroyed their pensions, increased their taxes and crippled social mobility."Middle Britain won't forget that it was Gordon Brown who destroyed their pensions, increased their taxes and crippled social mobility.
"The idea that a man who has spent his whole career at war with the middle classes can be their champion is laughable.""The idea that a man who has spent his whole career at war with the middle classes can be their champion is laughable."
The Conservatives have announced that they would start cutting back on state spending immediately after taking office if the party takes power at the election, which is widely expected to be held in May.The Conservatives have announced that they would start cutting back on state spending immediately after taking office if the party takes power at the election, which is widely expected to be held in May.
Mr Osborne said his party would be ready to make in-year reductions in Labour's £707bn spending plans for 2010/11, which were set out in last month's Pre-Budget Report.Mr Osborne said his party would be ready to make in-year reductions in Labour's £707bn spending plans for 2010/11, which were set out in last month's Pre-Budget Report.
The shadow chancellor named spending on advertising and consultants, tax credits for people earning more than £50,000 and Child Trust Funds for better-off families as items which would be cut during the coming financial year.The shadow chancellor named spending on advertising and consultants, tax credits for people earning more than £50,000 and Child Trust Funds for better-off families as items which would be cut during the coming financial year.
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