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Brown launches Labour 'fightback' Brown launches Labour fightback
(30 minutes later)
Gordon Brown has told Labour activists "our work is not done" as he launched the party's election theme and slogan. Gordon Brown has urged voters to take a second look at Labour as he unveiled his election campaign themes.
Labour will campaign under the slogan "a future fair for all", he said, at a rally in Coventry. Labour will campaign under the theme "a future fair for all", he said, at a rally in Coventry.
He accused the Tories of being down to a "team of one" and said Labour's election weapon was "our beliefs".He accused the Tories of being down to a "team of one" and said Labour's election weapon was "our beliefs".
The Lib Dems said there had been a "total failure to make Britain fairer". The Tories pledged "real change" to "put Britain back on its feet again".The Lib Dems said there had been a "total failure to make Britain fairer". The Tories pledged "real change" to "put Britain back on its feet again".
Mr Brown was welcomed by supporters but there were some hecklers as he arrived at the University of Warwick, Coventry.
'Secure recovery'
Although he has not yet announced an election date, a 6 May poll is widely expected and all the main parties are stepping up their campaigning efforts.Although he has not yet announced an election date, a 6 May poll is widely expected and all the main parties are stepping up their campaigning efforts.
Chancellor Alistair Darling, Business Secretary Lord Mandelson, Home Secretary Alan Johnson and Chief Secretary to the Treasury Yvette Cooper also spoke at the event. 'Team of one'
Mr Brown said: "First, we must secure the recovery, not put it at risk. Second, we must support new industries and future jobs. Mr Brown opened his speech by paying tribute to senior cabinet ministers including Harriet Harman and Lord Mandelson - saying he was proud to be part of an "experienced" team - while the Conservatives were down to a "team of one".
Setting out his future aims, Mr Brown said: "First, we must secure the recovery, not put it at risk. Second, we must support new industries and future jobs.
I know that Labour hasn't done everything right and I know, really I know, I'm not perfect Gordon Brown
"Third, while we will reduce the deficit, and reduce it by half, we must protect and not cut frontline services. And fourth, we must stand up for the many, not the few.""Third, while we will reduce the deficit, and reduce it by half, we must protect and not cut frontline services. And fourth, we must stand up for the many, not the few."
The Tories want to kick away the ladders of opportunity, because they are not the party of Britain's mainstream majority Gordon Brown Appealing to former Labour voters who might have deserted the party, Mr Brown urged them to take a "hard look" at Conservative policies, which he said would put the recovery at risk and hurt ordinary families.
BBC political correspondent Iain Watson said the "future fair for all" slogan was aimed at floating voters worried by the unfairness of the banking crisis, who want a sense of optimism after the recession. Families who wanted to "get on and not simply get by" should "take a second look at us and take a long hard look at them," he said.
He said Mr Brown was making a plea to Labour voters who had deserted the party to come back and take a second look, as well as a hard look at the Conservatives. Attempted coup
Labour has been involved in year-long talks with US President Barack Obama's team which have influenced Labour's campaigning tactics. The party has been using its members to call thousands of voters in marginal seats. He said Labour's "secret weapon" for the election would be its "beliefs" and the election would be won not on "who has the best PR" but on "values".
Labour election co-ordinator, Douglas Alexander, told BBC Radio 5 Live the Conservatives were ahead in the polls but were promising change without spelling out what that would involve. In an apparent reference to doubts within Labour about his own leadership - following an attempted coup by two former cabinet ministers in January - the prime minister admitted: "I know that Labour hasn't done everything right and I know, really I know, I'm not perfect".
"The Conservatives want this election simply to be a choice between change and the status quo and we're not prepared to have that contest," he said. "But I know where I come from and I know what I stand for and I know who I came into politics to represent."
When pressed on government figures suggesting Britain had become less fair during Labour's 13 years in power, Mr Alexander conceded that 10 years of economic growth had left the rich even wealthier. Chancellor Alistair Darling, Business Secretary Lord Mandelson, Home Secretary Alan Johnson and Chief Secretary to the Treasury Yvette Cooper also spoke at the event.
HAVE YOUR SAYSlogans have no impact on me at all. Except perhaps to put me off a political party if it happens to be too cheesy or a blatant liePaulRichard 2, Southampton Send us your commentsHAVE YOUR SAYSlogans have no impact on me at all. Except perhaps to put me off a political party if it happens to be too cheesy or a blatant liePaulRichard 2, Southampton Send us your comments
But he added that Labour had provided "significant help" to pensioners, families and the newly-unemployed, while claiming the Conservatives saw unemployment as a "price worth paying". Labour has been involved in year-long talks with US President Barack Obama's team which have influenced Labour's campaigning tactics. The party has been using its members to call thousands of voters in marginal seats.
"Elections are not about the record as much as about the future," he added.
The prime minister is telling the rally economic recovery would be put at risk under the Conservatives and accuse them of trying to steal the "progressive mantle".
In the preface to a new Labour leaflet Mr Brown writes: "This year's election will be a big choice about the change we want for Britain. I believe that together we can build a new age of aspiration - a future fair for all.
"The Tories threaten an age of austerity - a change you can't afford."
The full Labour manifesto will be launched at a later date.The full Labour manifesto will be launched at a later date.
The government and the Conservatives have clashed over how to revitalise the economy and tackle Britain's budget deficit, which is expected to reach £178bn this year.
On Friday, letters from more than 60 senior economists to the Financial Times backed Chancellor Alistair Darling's decision to delay government spending cuts until 2011.
But five days earlier in the Sunday Times, 20 other economists backed the Conservatives' call for cuts to be made this year.
'Centre ground'
A Conservative Party statement said the Labour slogan showed "everything about where Labour themselves know they have failed".A Conservative Party statement said the Labour slogan showed "everything about where Labour themselves know they have failed".
This slogan will only remind people of Labour's total failure to make Britain fairer Danny AlexanderLiberal Democrat 'That's not fairness'
"Instead of creating a fair society over the last 13 years, Britain has become more unfair," the Tories said."Instead of creating a fair society over the last 13 years, Britain has become more unfair," the Tories said.
"Five more years of Gordon Brown won't change anything. Only real change with the Conservatives will put Britain back on its feet again.""Five more years of Gordon Brown won't change anything. Only real change with the Conservatives will put Britain back on its feet again."
The Liberal Democrats also said the slogan would "only remind people of Labour's total failure to make Britain fairer".The Liberal Democrats also said the slogan would "only remind people of Labour's total failure to make Britain fairer".
"In Gordon Brown's Britain, social mobility is going backwards and a banker pays a lower rate of tax than their cleaner. That's not fairness," said Danny Alexander, chief of staff for Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg."In Gordon Brown's Britain, social mobility is going backwards and a banker pays a lower rate of tax than their cleaner. That's not fairness," said Danny Alexander, chief of staff for Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg.
"Gordon Brown is wrong if he thinks that slogans will make people forget Labour's failure.""Gordon Brown is wrong if he thinks that slogans will make people forget Labour's failure."