This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk_politics/6229679.stm

The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Reid says New Labour must go on New Labour 'will outlive Blair'
(39 minutes later)
New Labour must continue after the departure of Tony Blair, Home Secretary John Reid says. New Labour must not end when Tony Blair leaves office, Home Secretary John Reid has insisted.
Addressing an audience of Labour supporters, Mr Reid said New Labour is about providing opportunities to match people's aspirations. Mr Reid said it was still more in tune with ordinary voters' aspirations than David Cameron's Conservatives.
The revamp of the party is about more than one individual, he said. But the Labour Party faced its toughest year since 1992, when it lost a fourth election in a row, as it went through the process of choosing a new leader.
Mr Reid has not yet ruled himself out of the contest to succeed Tony Blair, and the speech will be examined for evidence of his intentions. Mr Reid defended Gordon Brown's record as Chancellor but stopped short of backing him as the next leader.
Chancellor Gordon Brown is viewed as the overwhelming favourite to take over from Mr Blair, but Mr Reid has been floated by some as a Blairite alternative. Mr Brown's "record as a chancellor towers above anything anyone in the Tory Party has ever aspired to or could ever aspire to," Mr Reid said at a party gathering in Lambeth, south London.
The Tories will try to argue that Tony Blair equals New Labour John ReidHome Secretary And "personal attacks" on the chancellor will rebound on the Tories, he added.
Mr Reid is trying to set out his thoughts on the "essence" of what the party should stand for in the future. New Labour does not and will not start and end with Tony Blair John ReidHome Secretary
Mr Brown is viewed as the overwhelming favourite to take over from Mr Blair, but Mr Reid has been floated by some as a Blairite alternative.
The home secretary admitted Mr Blair's departure would raise doubts in voters' minds, especially as Conservative leader David Cameron was, in Mr Reid's words, "doing well" in presentational terms.
"With the departure of Tony Blair, people will start asking again whether Labour will stay New Labour.
"And with the arrival of David Cameron, they will no doubt ask, can Labour still win as the party best suited to govern?"
He said the answer to both "connected" questions was yes.
Fourth term
"If we remain true to the New Labour approach then we can, we should, and I believe we will secure and deserve another, fourth term in government."
Mr Reid was setting out his thoughts on the "essence" of what the party should stand for in the future.
"It is obvious to me we will win or lose the next election by our own hand," he said."It is obvious to me we will win or lose the next election by our own hand," he said.
"That is why it is so important that the electorate understand that we intend to remain New Labour to the core - and that the Labour Party itself understands the importance of doing just that.""That is why it is so important that the electorate understand that we intend to remain New Labour to the core - and that the Labour Party itself understands the importance of doing just that."
Personalised attacks
He added: "It's important we make that very clearly indeed, because otherwise we will allow, by default, the impression to persist that New Labour is, and has been, nothing more or less than Tony Blair.He added: "It's important we make that very clearly indeed, because otherwise we will allow, by default, the impression to persist that New Labour is, and has been, nothing more or less than Tony Blair.
"Our opponents will try to sow that seed. They will personalise the whole issue. They have already started with some offensive personal attacks on Gordon Brown. "Our opponents will try to sow that seed. They will personalise the whole issue."
"That will re-bound on them, especially if directed towards people like Gordon whose record as chancellor towers above anything which anyone in the Tory Party could ever aspire to. Shared concept
"The Tories will try to argue that Tony Blair equals New Labour. They will say that when Tony Blair goes New Labour goes with him. That is not the case and we must show that it is not true." He went on: "The Tories will try to argue that Tony Blair equals New Labour. They will say that when Tony Blair goes New Labour goes with him. That is not the case and we must show that it is not true."
Mr Reid suggested that rather than being the product of one person - Mr Blair - the New Labour concept is the product of decades of work.Mr Reid suggested that rather than being the product of one person - Mr Blair - the New Labour concept is the product of decades of work.
"Though Tony may be stepping down, the underlying analysis and philosophy of New Labour is one shared by all of us in government and will continue undimmed. New Labour does not and will not start and end with Tony Blair.""Though Tony may be stepping down, the underlying analysis and philosophy of New Labour is one shared by all of us in government and will continue undimmed. New Labour does not and will not start and end with Tony Blair."
Closely echoing recent speeches by his political mentor about the politics of aspiration, Mr Reid said: "It is about being clearly on the side of the many who succeed in social advance, and those who aspire to it. That is the 'many' that we speak about."Closely echoing recent speeches by his political mentor about the politics of aspiration, Mr Reid said: "It is about being clearly on the side of the many who succeed in social advance, and those who aspire to it. That is the 'many' that we speak about."