ELECTIONAS OPPOSITION parties and disgruntled backbenchers queued up last night to take shots at the Government's final legislative package before the General Election, Labour made a direct bid to enthuse its traditional support
with a nostalgic film.
The TV broadcast centred on the party's history as the home of "the fighters, the true Brits" and much of the video, televised in the wake of the Queen's Speech, was drawn from black and white footage of marching workers and celebrated party figures.
A dramatic voice-over declares that it is "the fighters and believers who change our world" and hails Labour's role in getting women the vote, halting the march of fascism, creating the NHS, ending apartheid in South Africa and securing peace in Northern Ireland.
It continues: "The history of Britain is the history of fighting for what is right against the odds," over images of waving Union Jacks and Prime Minister Gordon Brown meeting children in Africa and with other world leaders including US President Barack Obama.
It is hoped that, alongside a raft of proposals in the speech, disillusioned party members will be inspired to go to the polls in support of the Government.
Yesterday, however, there was criticism of the announcements.
Former Home Secretary Charles Clarke, said the PM's attempt to set up "dividing lines" with the Tories was wrong, telling MPs: "This Queen's Speech shows that we are dominated by political fear of our opponents – that is not the way for Labour to win and makes it more difficult for us to do so."
Tory leader David Cameron dismissed the speech as "half-baked" and said Mr Brown's obsession with trying to "get one over" on the opposition meant he had ignored important issues such as immigration, the NHS and cleaning up politics.
He said: "They have run out of money, they have run out of time, they have run out of ideas, and as we have just seen from the prime minister, they have run out of courage as well."
Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg attacked the speech as a "fantasy" package full of "unnecessary" measures. He said there was nothing in the proposed legislation to help create jobs, boost bank lending and fix the UK's "rotten" political system.
The Government did find support from the unions. Dave Prentis, general secretary of Unison, said Labour had listened and has taken up issues which mattered to people.
