A group of Tony Blair's closest supporters is laying plans to break ranks and warn Gordon Brown that he is in danger of abandoning Middle Britain after what is being described as the Prime Minister's 'pathetic' performance in the past week.
As David Cameron surges to a seven-point lead in a new opinion poll today - a 15-year high - three former members of Blair's cabinet are planning to embark on a blitz of policy speeches to ensure that Brown does not hand the initiative to David Cameron. Stephen Byers, the former Transport Secretary, Alan Milburn, the ex-Health Secretary, and Charles Clarke, the former Home Secretary, are all said to be 'itching' to speak out in the wake of what they regard as Brown's failure to set out a vision that will reinvigorate Middle Britain's support for New Labour.
The three, whose relations with Brown are strained, are holding fire for fear of handing the Tories an easy hit about divisions within Labour. But the trio are being urged to speak out by Labour MPs who fear that Brown's decision to abandon plans for a snap general election, followed by his faltering performance in the House of Commons last Wednesday, shows he is losing the sure touch that marked his first months in office.
Their fears are underlined by an ICM poll in today's Sunday Telegraph which shows that the Tories have now surged to 43 per cent, seven points ahead of Labour on 36 per cent. The Lib Dems are on 14 per cent. 'All three are coming under pressure from Labour MPs who are asking them to speak openly about policy,' a Labour source said. 'People are saying, where are the policies?'
Blair, now Middle East envoy, is not being briefed on the plan. The former prime minister had made clear he intends to avoid a repeat of the behaviour of Margaret Thatcher, who plotted with the 'Maastricht rebels' to undermine John Major. This was underlined last night by Blair's spokesman who said: 'When he stood down Tony Blair said he would be completely supportive of Gordon Brown and that is what he continues to be.'
The former prime minister's supporters in the government angrily rejected suggestions that he is fuelling criticism of Brown as they hit out at any attempt to question the Prime Minister. 'Tony is simply not talking about this - he is focused on his job as envoy to the Middle East. It is utterly wicked both to represent Tony Blair in this way and to appear to be fostering divisions.'
However, Blair's former allies are scathing about Brown's decision to abandon an early election, after allowing his circle to float the idea, followed by mistakes. These included the decision to introduce a dramatic increase in the inheritance tax threshold to £700,000 in 2010 for couples just a week after the Tories saw their poll ratings soar in marginal seats after pledging to exempt properties worth up to £1m.
'What a pathetic sight,' one ally of Blair said of the 'strange smirk' on the Prime Minister's face when the Chancellor, Alistair Darling, announced his plans in the last Tuesday's pre-budget report.
The three Blairites, who are thinking of speaking out early next month on the eve of the Queen's Speech, were spurred into action by Cameron's performance at Prime Minister's questions last Wednesday. Cameron's cry that Brown had 'no vision, just a vacuum' persuaded them that Labour was in danger of handing the policy initiative to the Tories.
Byers, Milburn and Clarke will be careful not to criticise Brown directly as they outline a series of policies to rekindle Middle Britain's affection for New Labour. 'They hope to come forward with a vision,' one source said. 'If the vision is not fleshed out soon the public will start wondering where we are going.'
The Blairites want to revive the spirit of 1997, the source said. 'We need the spirit that produced policies like the minimum wage which was popular with core voters and appealed to Middle Britain voters, who thought it was fair.'
The Blairites also believe that Brown lost the initiative by failing to move on inheritance tax before the Tories. 'We should have seen inheritance tax coming down the tracks,' one source said.
Few Blairites are willing to speak in public. But Peter Mandelson, Britain's European Commissioner, has been critical of Brown in private.
He made his unease clear on Friday when he said Britain had secured all its demands in the negotiations on the new EU treaty - a sideswipe at Brown, who insists he is not ready to sign it.
Charlie Falconer, the former Lord Chancellor, today warns that what Brown regards as one of his key strengths - his experience - is not enough. In an article for the Sunday Times online section, Falconer writes: 'Making clear our vision is the challenge for the Labour party now. Because if we rely on experience and our ability to handle crises and do not set out... our vision for the future of the UK, a vision which represents the progressive view of politics, then we will be offering drift not leadership, and the past not the future.'
Downing Street was irritated by Falconer's intervention which comes as the Sunday Times reports that Brown personally turned down a demand from the former Lord Chancellor for a hefty pension.