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Brown launches Labour fightback | |
(30 minutes later) | |
Gordon Brown has urged voters to take a second look at Labour as he unveiled his election campaign themes. | |
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". |
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. |
'Team of one' | |
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." |
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. | |
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. | |
Attempted coup | |
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". | |
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". | |
"But I know where I come from and I know what I stand for and I know who I came into politics to represent." | |
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 comments | 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 comments |
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. | |
The full Labour manifesto will be launched at a later date. | The full Labour manifesto will be launched at a later date. |
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". |
'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." |