Blair campaign return expected as labour fights for marginals

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The former Prime Minister was expected to appear in seats in the South-East which Labour is fighting to keep, in what will be his second appearance of the campaign.

His re-appearance, several weeks after he made a speech in his old Sedgefield constituency, comes as the party's campaign reels from Gordon Brown's gaffe when he was heard calling a Labour voter "bigoted" in Rochdale on Wednesday.

Mr Brown was forced to visit Gillian Duffy to apologise after the incident when she complained about the number of Eastern European immigrants who had come to Britain.

Reports suggested Mr Blair has also been earmarked to visit a series of vital seats in the North-West in the run-up to polling day next Thursday.

Mr Blair, who took the country to war in Iraq, remains a highly controversial figure but party strategists hope he is more of an asset to the party than a burden.

His return to the campaign is believed to have been planned for some time, although the details may be revised in light of Mr Brown's troubles.

His wife Cherie has already been campaigning for Labour in Dewsbury, and is supporting her stepmother Steph Booth in Calder Valley, one of the Tories' top target seats in Yorkshire.