Blair: Labour will be a party of the centre

Thursday, 12 May 2005 12:00 AM

Tony Blair said today that Labour would remain firmly in the centre of the political spectrum.

Speaking at his monthly press conference Mr Blair said that Labour would hold the centre ground rather than being drawn to the left or the right.

Both the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats have a big choice to make about what they represented, he added.

Describing the Lib Dems as a "version of the Labour Party in the 1980s" and saying that the Conservatives had to chose whether to appeal to the right or move to the centre, Mr Blair said that whilst Labour was vulnerable on both wings, he would do neither.

He said: "My view is that the Labour Party should keep actually solid in that centre ground, build out from that and let the other two decide where they want to take us."

And he maintained that the general election showed clearly that the electorate did not want a change in government, but it had sent a message it wanted the Government to "get on and do it" and deliver improvements in health and education.

Pressed on Labour's reduced majority Mr Blair was dismissive, saying the "idea that a government that can't gets its programme through with a majority of 66 is ridiculous".

And he gave no hope to the Liberal Democrats that he was persuaded by the case for a reform of the electoral system, saying that proportional representation could lead to a small party holding the balance of power, which was also unfair.

Mr Blair accepted that the swing against Labour in London was "something we've got to look very hard at" but said he did not believe it was down to one factor.

But he highlighted in particular education in the capital, where a far greater percentage of children are sent to private schools than any other area in the country.

He said there would have to be a "step change" in the next few years adding: "I want a school system in London that is good enough so middle class parents feel confident in sending their children to state schools." The Prime Minister said he believed that the controversial city academy programme "will make a big difference in London".

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