Blair defends Labour's family policies

Tony Blair has issued a strong defence of the government's family-friendly policies, the day after David Cameron put the family at the heart of his vision for the Conservatives.

The prime minister hailed Sure Start for helping disadvantaged children and their parents, saying it was "amusing" that the Tories were now backing flexible working where they had not before.

Mr Blair insisted he was not rattled by Mr Cameron's shift to the centre-ground, which yesterday saw him promise to protect the NHS and back gay marriage – although he took the trouble to write a 600-word article in The Guardian to defend his record.

"The fact that the Tory party conference this week was dedicated to trying to show how much the Conservatives have changed shouldn't be taken by Labour as a reverse, but as an enormous compliment," Mr Blair wrote.

"And the fact that, when you scratch beneath the surface, the old Tory problems are unresolved represents an enormous opportunity."

In a wide-ranging speech to the Conservative party conference yesterday, Mr Cameron said that families were "not just the basic unit of society, they're the best", and promised to test every policy by whether it helped families.

The message was traditional Tory, but he updated it by urging delegates to sympathise with the difficulties faced by single parents, and insisting that his emphasis on marriage was extended to all marriages – whether heterosexual or gay.

"By the way, it means something whether you're a man and a woman, a woman and a woman or a man and another man," Mr Cameron said.

His message was welcomed by most Tory party members, and commentators have also noted that this is likely to fare well with voters. But today Mr Blair insisted Labour still had the edge on the Tories.

"There are truly inspirational stories of families whose lives have been transformed by their own efforts, but who have been liberated by a helping hand that was there when the families needed it," he wrote of the Sure Start programme.

And there was "more to come", he said, citing new childcare facilities provided by the extended schools programme and further improvements in maternity leave and nursery education.

"It was amusing to hear the Conservatives asking for an extension of the right to request flexible working – another part of the New Labour family programme. When we introduced it just four years ago, they and their leader voted against it," he continued.

He insisted their "desire to U-turn" now should not worry Labour, as it proved only that they "are still caught between the two wings of their party".

Noting Mr Cameron's failure to come up with detailed policies so far, he said: "The Tories want to postpone a decision on direction, but if we have confidence both in our achievements and future programme, they will be forced to decide.

"That will be their real test of leadership. There is no evidence from this week that they can pass it."