Blair: Be bold in Europe

Tony Blair: Making the running in Europe

Prime Minister Tony Blair has called for Britain to be confident of its place in Europe - and to fight to win the debate on British terms.

I say we go in there, we make the running and we make the arguments

Tony Blair

His comment came in advance of a speech on Tuesday by the President of the European Commission, Romano Prodi, who is expected to demand more power for Brussels.

Mr Blair, launching his party's business manifesto, said: "We have got to have some confidence as a country in the arguments we are putting forward in Europe.

"This is a country that I believe has got sufficient self-confidence and self-belief to go into Europe and win the argument.

"I say we go in there, we make the running and we make the arguments.

"There's an argument, a debate, going on in Europe.

"The place for this country is going in there, winning the debate on British terms."

'Boom and bust'

On Labour's business manifesto, Mr Blair renewed his claim to be the party of economic competence - saying "people are better off under Labour".

He said he would make no apology for returning to what he described as the "fundamental choice" of the election - between economic stability under Labour and boom and bust under the Tories.

Mr Blair said people did not want a return to 15% interest rates, record home repossessions and three million unemployed.

"The truth is that you are more likely to be in a job with Labour, more likely to have a low mortgage and more likely to have low inflation," he said.

Setting out his achievements in providing a "platform of stability" for business and families, Mr Blair said the public trusted Labour on the economy more than any other party.

Labour's economic claims

Inflation lowest for 30 years

Mortgages lowest for 35 years

Unemployment lowest for 25 years

More national debt being repayed than ever before

This had not been achieved by chance, but by the choices it had made since taking office.

"Across the spectrum, from business to employees to home-owners to pensioners, people are better off under today's Labour government, and that is the fundamental choice at this election."

Mr Blair accused the Conservatives of "running away from a debate on the economy and their past record," and said their plans would mean "massive cuts in public spending or a return to rising debt."