Middle Britain 'key' for Labour

Caroline Flint said there was no need for a 'radical' rethink of Labour policy

Labour needs to address the sense of unfairness felt by middle income workers to win another election, Housing minister Caroline Flint says.

She was addressing a Labour conference fringe meeting organised by pressure group Compass and Blairite think tank Progress, of which she is a member.

She said she disagreed with the Compass argument that Labour must refocus on the poorest to win the next election.

Compass said Ms Flint had made a "preposterous caricature" of its view.

'Radical and progressive'

Ms Flint told the event there was no need for a "radical" rethink of Labour policy, but it had to explain its message better and emphasise divisions with the Tories and address the sense of unfairness felt by many middle income workers.

She said: "When you look at our policy platform I think it has been both radical and progressive.

"And I have no doubt that the number of different policies we have brought forward in different areas, I think only a Labour government would have done."

We have to govern for the 80% of ordinary people who work hard, whether they have a minimum wage or whether they have a degree Caroline Flint Housing minister

But she rejected the idea that Labour should refocus its policies on helping those at the bottom of society.

"We have the opportunity taken by our defeat in Glasgow East to argue that we must refocus on the poorest 10 or 20%," she said.

"And I have heard that, I have to say, by people representing Compass at different events, and arguing that that is the route to electoral success and I don't accept that.

"We have to govern for the 80% of ordinary people who work hard, whether they have a minimum wage or whether they have a degree.

"The majority of people who work hard, take the ups and downs, pay their taxes and support their kids and ask for very little from the state deserve the attention of our government."

'Fundamental mistake'

Labour MP Jon Trickett, Compass's parliamentary representative, hit back, saying: "Nobody on behalf of Compass has said a Labour government can be elected on 20% of the electorate.

"It's a preposterous caricature of what we have been saying."

He later told the meeting Labour had not done enough "to praise the poorest" and let them know how much the Labour government had done for them.

"I do think it has caused some offence... when we have said we celebrate the super-rich and we are completely relaxed about people being filthy rich.

"Nobody is against entrepreneurship and I will not have someone say I am against entrepreneurs doing well but I think for us to make a virtue out of those people, many of whom pay little tax, while failing to praise the people at the bottom has been a fundamental mistake."