Brown launches Labour Euro push

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk_politics/8050448.stm

Version 0 of 1.

Gordon Brown has launched Labour's Euro election campaign amid predictions the party's prospects have been badly hit by the furore over MPs' expenses.

The PM began by saying MP Elliot Morley - who claimed for a mortgage after it was paid off - would be suspended from the Parliamentary Labour Party.

Ministers joining him for the launch included Hazel Blears who paid £13,332 back in expenses after criticism.

Mr Brown said three million British jobs depended on being part of the EU.

His speech included many references to high standards in public life and praise for local public servants.

As he started his speech, he said "they want to serve the public interest and not to serve themselves. They are interested in what they can give and not what they can get."

'Cabinet friends'

He went on to say action had to be taken where standards were transgressed in Parliament and announced Mr Morley's suspension.

The former environment minister said he had mistakenly claimed the money due to "sloppy accounting" and had paid it back.

Mr Brown referred to his "cabinet friends" at the event - including Communities Secretary Ms Blears and Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, who have both faced questions over their own expense claims.

The politics of hate gets traction when people feel that mainstream parties aren't addressing the real issues and the real lives that people are leading David MilibandForeign Secretary <a class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/8049096.stm">Morley suspended by Labour party</a> <a class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/8049614.stm">Tory MP quits post over expenses</a>

The prime minister went on to repeat his message that Labour planned to "grow Britain out of recession" and claimed the Conservatives would "help the wealthiest few" and cut public services "at the worst possible time".

He warned against a return to "the old policies of the past that have failed" - a reference to the previous recession under a Conservative government.

He said his government would help people "now" as well as investing in the future.

And he said it was important Britain was at the centre of decision making in the European Union - saying it would be "devastating" for trade if links were "diminished".

"I believe as we consider our future at these elections on 4 June it's also important to remember that we must work within the European Union, not be isolated in Europe," he said.

"That we cannot be really sitting with no seat at the table when big decisions are being made across Europe on climate change or on security, or on environmental issues generally, or on the social chapter or on the economy."

'Politics of hate'

Labour has been hit by a string of scandals in recent weeks, including expenses, the Damian McBride e-mail smears and a Commons defeat on the Gurkhas' settlement rights.

One opinion poll at the weekend suggested the party's ratings had slumped to just 23% - lower than when Michael Foot was party leader in the 1980s.

The party is concerned voters will punish it at the ballot box - by staying at home in large numbers or casting a protest vote for the anti-immigration British National Party, which some Labour insiders fear could take as many as six seats.

Foreign Secretary David Miliband, said: "The politics of hate gets traction when people feel that mainstream parties aren't addressing the real issues and the real lives that people are leading.

"And we've got to be honest about that. We've got to show that we do get it. That we are in touch."

He said they had to show they have the "policy answers" to take on "those people who've got easy slogans, but actually nothing to say other than to divide this country".