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Mandelson attacks 10p tax policy Mandelson attacks 10p tax policy
(about 21 hours later)
Former Cabinet minister Peter Mandelson says the scrapping of the 10p tax rate was "a very big mistake". Former Cabinet minister Peter Mandelson has said the scrapping of the 10p tax rate was "a very big mistake".
The EU commissioner said New Labour had created the biggest redistribution to the poor in the UK in 100 years. And he warned Gordon Brown against abandoning one of the key tenets of New Labour - helping the poor.
But he warned that if the basic tenets of New Labour's success were abandoned, Labour would lose the next election. "If you lose one tenet then the whole edifice starts looking shaky and that's what's happened," he told BBC News.
Mr Mandelson, a co-creator of New Labour alongside Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, said Mr Brown could turn things round - but not alone or overnight. Mr Mandelson, who created New Labour with Mr Brown and Tony Blair, said he believed the PM could turn it round but could not do it alone or overnight.
In a BBC HARDtalk interview, to be broadcast on BBC World on 8 May and the BBC News Channel the next day, Mr Mandelson said he did not believe Mr Brown had turned his back on the basic ideals of New Labour. In a BBC HARDtalk interview, to be broadcast on BBC World on 8 May and the BBC News Channel the next day, Mr Mandelson said it would have been "better all round" if Mr Brown had faced a contest for the Labour leadership last year.
"I think he would have won, I think he would have involved the electorate as a whole in that contest and opened himself up and his ideas to the public I think he would have received an endorsement.
"He would have a sense of being legitimised more than was the case than simply being anointed."
'Reverse history'
He said Mr Brown - with whom he has not always had smooth relations - had "toyed" with a snap election last autumn because he would "prefer his own mandate".
The prime minister said at the time that he decided against holding a November election because he wanted to outline "his vision" for the UK and denied it was called off because of a sudden Conservative rise in opinion polls.
But Mr Mandelson said that the idea of a snap election had been dropped "for reasons I think we can understand - the opinion poll suddenly went a bit wonky and therefore there was uncertainty and so then the election, the non-election was then called off."
If you abandon those tenets, I'm afraid we are going to lose the next general election Peter Mandelson
But he said "you can't rewrite or reverse history" and voters were now looking for "self belief, conviction, ideas and political skill and technique that are going to make a difference to their lives".
Asked later in the interview about his criticism of Mr Brown's decision to scrap the 10p tax rate, he said: "I didn't say it was a disaster, I said it was rather a large mistake and there we are, it was a mistake and now they're trying to put it right.
"It was a mistake because it violated that key tenet of New Labour, which is that we look after the poor and needy in society.
"It goes along, around with the other key components' of a New Labour whole and if you lose one section and if you lose one tenet then the whole edifice starts looking shaky and that's what's happened."
Persuasion neededPersuasion needed
The former Northern Ireland Secretary and close confidante of Tony Blair, said: "I'm proud of the fact that we brought about the greatest redistribution to the poor in this country that Britain has seen in the last 100 years.The former Northern Ireland Secretary and close confidante of Tony Blair, said: "I'm proud of the fact that we brought about the greatest redistribution to the poor in this country that Britain has seen in the last 100 years.
"But it means that scrapping the 10p starting rate in tax was a big mistake.""But it means that scrapping the 10p starting rate in tax was a big mistake."
If you abandon those tenets, I'm afraid we are going to lose the next general election Peter Mandelson
He said the party and the government had a job to persuade people they still had the ideas to take Britain forward.He said the party and the government had a job to persuade people they still had the ideas to take Britain forward.
Mr Brown deserved the full support of the government, added Mr Mandelson, but if the Labour Party failed to return to the tenets it relied upon in the past, it could result in electoral failure.Mr Brown deserved the full support of the government, added Mr Mandelson, but if the Labour Party failed to return to the tenets it relied upon in the past, it could result in electoral failure.
"They gave us our success in the last 10 years and if they continue to be operated and improved so that they evolve, they will provide success for the Labour Party in years to come," he said."They gave us our success in the last 10 years and if they continue to be operated and improved so that they evolve, they will provide success for the Labour Party in years to come," he said.
"But if you abandon those tenets, you are going to abandon key segments of public support for New Labour and in those circumstances, I'm afraid we are going to lose the next general election.""But if you abandon those tenets, you are going to abandon key segments of public support for New Labour and in those circumstances, I'm afraid we are going to lose the next general election."
The abolition of the lowest rate of income tax came into effect last month, alongside a reduction in the basic rate of income tax from 22p to 20p and increases in child benefit and tax credits.The abolition of the lowest rate of income tax came into effect last month, alongside a reduction in the basic rate of income tax from 22p to 20p and increases in child benefit and tax credits.
By-election focusBy-election focus
Following an outcry the government has said it will outline a compensation package for pensioners aged 60 to 64 and low earners without children before this autumn's pre-Budget report.Following an outcry the government has said it will outline a compensation package for pensioners aged 60 to 64 and low earners without children before this autumn's pre-Budget report.
Conservative leader David Cameron has pledged to make the abolition of the 10p rate central to the Tories' bid to win the Crewe & Nantwich by-election later this month.Conservative leader David Cameron has pledged to make the abolition of the 10p rate central to the Tories' bid to win the Crewe & Nantwich by-election later this month.
The Tory leader has urged the government "to do more to help those who will suffer" from the tax change.The Tory leader has urged the government "to do more to help those who will suffer" from the tax change.
Mr Mandelson's comments came on the same day a Populus opinion poll for The Times suggested that 55% of Labour voters thought the party's election chances would be boosted by Mr Brown stepping down.Mr Mandelson's comments came on the same day a Populus opinion poll for The Times suggested that 55% of Labour voters thought the party's election chances would be boosted by Mr Brown stepping down.
Populus interviewed 1,509 people over 18 via telephone between 2 and 4 May.Populus interviewed 1,509 people over 18 via telephone between 2 and 4 May.