Meacher gang’s Labour vote winner

MICHAEL MEACHER

PRIME Minister Gordon Brown faced renewed pressure today to adopt a “core vote” election strategy by 40 backbench MPs headed by Michael Meacher.

The left-wing MPs said the radical manifesto would shore up Labour’s traditional support and address the issues that really mattered.

The Coalition for Labour Victory is fronted by the Oldham West and Royton MP, and includes Ashton MP David Heyes.

The group wants a “massive” injection of public investment, social responsibilities for banks, renewed trade union rights and an abandonment of “market fundamentalism”

“Strained” loyalties of working class heartlands should be restored with a manifesto that pledged to divert more resources from the rich to fund jobs, benefits and pensions, they said.

Mr Meacher said: “Labour can win if it is prepared to be radical.

“Policies aimed at jobs, homes and redistribution will resound with Labour voters whose loyalties have been strained. And floating voters have supported higher taxes for the highly paid and also want to see bailed-out banks repay the community.”

Mr Brown last month made an explicit appeal to middle-class voters and vowed to campaign on “New Labour” values in a clear signal that he would not adopt a core vote strategy.

The coalition claims to have the support of dozens of local parties and unions.