Blears attacks Labour's 'failure'
Communities Secretary Hazel Blears has attacked the government's
"lamentable" failure to communicate.
of the government's policy announcements.
And she says use of "new media" by politicians is not as effective as
traditional campaigning methods.
"YouTube if you want to, but it is no substitute for knocking on doors
or setting up a stall in the town centre," she says.
"We need to have a relationship with the voters based on shared
instincts and emotions.
"We need to start showing we understand the instincts, fears, hopes and
emotions of the broad mass of British people."
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has launched an online version of Prime
Minister's Questions, pledging to respond to videoclip questions
submitted via the Downing Street YouTube website.
Commons defeat
Ms Blears also criticises the government's handling of the issue
surrounding the Gurkhas, saying it put itself "on the wrong side of the
British sense of fair play, and no party can stay there for long without
dire consequences"
The government suffered a shock defeat in the Commons on Wednesday over
its policy of restricting the right of many former Gurkhas to settle in
the UK.
MPs voted by 267 to 246 for a Lib Dem motion offering all Gurkhas equal
right of residence, with the Tories and 27 Labour rebels backing it.
Ms Blears says that Mr Brown will lead the party into the next election,
but she also says that the government must appear more "human" if it is
to defeat the Tories.
"Labour ministers have a collective responsibility for the government's
lamentable failure to get our message across," she says.
"Whatever the problems of the recession, the answer is not more
government documents or big speeches."
BBC political correspondent Laura Kuenssberg said sources close to Ms
Blears have said this attack was not intended to be aimed solely at Mr
Brown.
"The remarks she makes are really very strong, more important still
because she's normally such a loyal voice, she's someone who routinely
goes out there and defends the government and tries to sell their
message," she said.
But this latest criticism will be seen as a piling up of pressure on the
prime minister, our correspondent added.
Former deputy prime minister John Prescott had earlier rebuked Labour
politicians who criticised the prime minister.
Mr Prescott said members should stop complaining and get behind the
party.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.
Published: 2009/05/02 20:36:40 GMT
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