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PM unveils key election pledges PM unveils key election pledges
(10 minutes later)
Gordon Brown has said the economic recovery is top of his list of five election pledges, as he hailed Labour as the "people's party". Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said the economic recovery is top of his list of five election pledges, as he hailed Labour as the "people's party".
The prime minister told party activists Labour would put the "British people first" ahead of "vested interests". He told party activists Labour would put the "British people first".
The election has not been announced but is widely expected on 6 May. He pledged to use the internet to measure how pledges are met and publish an annual contract for ministers.
Mr Brown also pledged to raise living standards, protect frontline services, strengthen community fairness and build a hi-tech economy. Tory leader David Cameron dismissed that as "nonsense" and said the PM could not "dither" forever and should get on and call an election.
Opposition parties say the pledges are meaningless after years of "failures". Mr Brown's other pledges were to raise living standards, protect frontline services, strengthen community fairness and build a hi-tech economy.
'Force for fairness''Force for fairness'
The prime minister, who earlier told the Guardian he would keep Alistair Darling as Chancellor if Labour wins, addressed activists in Nottingham.The prime minister, who earlier told the Guardian he would keep Alistair Darling as Chancellor if Labour wins, addressed activists in Nottingham.
In a dig at the Conservatives, he thanked the opposition party for spending "£1m" on election posters which he said had boosted the country's economy and Labour's cause. He told them: "We are fighting for Britain's future - and we intend to win."
He said the Tories represented "not more statesmanship but more salesmanship" while Labour was a "force for fairness".
Labour has defended the pledges against criticisms of "vagueness"
He said he knew people were sceptical about politicians' pledges but said these were "not general pledges without details, without tests, without scrutiny".He said he knew people were sceptical about politicians' pledges but said these were "not general pledges without details, without tests, without scrutiny".
He promised new ways of measuring progress against the pledges online, and said cabinet ministers would have to sign up to contracts outlining what they were expected to deliver. We are the people's party and we are pledged to serve the people Gordon Brown
Mr Brown told activists: "We will put the British people first, before personal interests, before our party interests, before any vested interests. He promised new ways of measuring progress against the pledges online, and said cabinet ministers would have to sign up to public, annual contracts outlining what they were expected to deliver.
Their positions would be subject to delivery - "just as it would be in a business or any other organisation", he said.
He also said the head of the civil service, Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell, would be asked to "performance manage" departments' top civil servants against their delivery of the pledges.
Transparency 'extension'
Web founder Sir Tim Berners-Lee was working on creating "maximum possible information available to the public at all times", he said.
"This rapid extension of transparency will show in real time how government are delivering against our pledges."
Mr Brown added: "We will put the British people first, before personal interests, before our party interests, before any vested interests.
"We are the people's party and we are pledged to serve the people.""We are the people's party and we are pledged to serve the people."
Civil injunction After an empty Budget we have five empty pledges. Michael GoveConservatives
But in his own speech to activists, Mr Cameron accused the prime minister of taking people "for fools".
"He says in future he's going to have a contract for each cabinet minister, detailing what you expect them to do. What a great idea.
"Just imagine if this contract had been written for the Parliament we have just had - that the contract with Alistair Darling was to double the national debt and give us record youth unemployment."
He said there was a "big choice" at the general election: "Do we want five more years of Gordon Brown or do we want change with the Conservatives?"
Risks 'real'
Earlier Mr Brown told the Guardian victims of anti-social behaviour would be allowed to use public funds from their local authority to take out civil injunctions, if police were too slow to act.Earlier Mr Brown told the Guardian victims of anti-social behaviour would be allowed to use public funds from their local authority to take out civil injunctions, if police were too slow to act.
We don't have honesty about the scale of the challenge that the country faces now Michael Gove MPConservative
"People have got to know if they have a real complaint they will get a fast response," he said.
He also said NHS patients would be able to visit another health authority or the private sector if they were not offered treatment within 18 weeks and cancer tests within a week.He also said NHS patients would be able to visit another health authority or the private sector if they were not offered treatment within 18 weeks and cancer tests within a week.
Conservative frontbencher Michael Gove, who is also the party's election campaign strategist, said Mr Brown was asking for "five more years" in power but the key was to look back at the government's record.
He said Mr Brown had "pledged there would be no more 'boom and bust' but he took us into the biggest recession, the deepest recession that we've had since the 1930s".
HAVE YOUR SAYNot impressed. New Labour Brown has not changed his spotsrireed3 Send us your comments
"Now he's campaigning on his economic credentials but they've been tarnished.
"We've never had a proper apology or acknowledgement and we don't have honesty about the scale of the challenge that the country faces now."
Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said: "Any number of pledges won't make people forget 13 years of Labour failure."Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said: "Any number of pledges won't make people forget 13 years of Labour failure."
Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Ed Miliband refused to rule out cuts in hospital budgets and elsewhere but said that any savings would be the result of the government "facing up to the difficult decisions that we have to make".Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Ed Miliband refused to rule out cuts in hospital budgets and elsewhere but said that any savings would be the result of the government "facing up to the difficult decisions that we have to make".
BBC political correspondent, Reeta Chakrabarti, said Mr Brown was less clear about widely-predicted future cuts.
Later on Saturday, Mr Brown is due to attend Labour's Scottish spring conference in Glasgow.Later on Saturday, Mr Brown is due to attend Labour's Scottish spring conference in Glasgow.