Blair aims to reassure traditional Labour voters

Tony Blair will try to reassure traditional Labour voters that his plans to extend choice in public services will not favour the better off at the expense of the poor.

The Cabinet meets today to discuss a draft Labour general election manifesto which includes proposals that Mr Blair hopes will enable the Government to "complete the transformation" of public services in a third term before he stands down.

But amid fears that Labour supporters will desert the party over Iraq, party strategists admit that they will need to be reassured that a new round of reforms will improve the life chances of the poorest people as well as benefit the middle classes.

Turnout is seen as the crucial factor in the election and the Cabinet will agree today to warn progressive voters that they could allow Michael Howard into Downing Street by the back door by abstaining or backing the Liberal Democrats.

A Labour source said last night: "Boosting the turnout is the central strategic objective. We understand how people feel about Iraq. It was a tough decision, but Tony Blair believes that as a result, greater democracy and freedom, particularly for women, is opening up in the Middle East."

In the campaign, Labour will say Mr Blair is now fighting on the "big issues" such as the Middle East peace process, aid for Africa and international co-operation to halt global warming. It will tell potential Labour defectors that Mr Howard has been "on the wrong side" of every domestic issue since he opposed the national minimum wage as Employment Secretary.

"The message to people thinking of sitting on the fence or voting Liberal Democrat is that this election is too important to allow the Tories to slip in through the back door," said the Labour source.

"Even if they don't agree with every policy, many recognise that we have improved people's lives and that the Tories would be a disaster."

Labour's strategy is designed to "close the gap" between the number of people who describe themselves as "natural Labour" but who say they do not intend to support the party.

The manifesto is expected to include a range of measures to extend "choice" and treat users of services as "consumers" as well as "citizens."

Mr Blair believes that injecting competition into state-run services drives up standards. But he has accepted the need to reassure voters that his new round of reforms will not result in a selective education system and that health treatment under Labour will be based on need, not ability to pay, and will remain free at the point of use.

He will make clear that the extension of free market principles in state-run services will not threaten the traditional Labour principle of equal access to them - a key concern of Gordon Brown, the Chancellor, who will signal his return to the front line of Labour's campaign by giving a presentation on how the party should attack the Tories' tax and spending plans.

The Prime Minister's pledge to stand for re-election on an "unremittingly New Labour" ticket has worried Labour traditionalists. But his allies hope he can reassure them by contrasting his plans with what Labour describes as the "cuts and charges" approach of the Tories.

Mr Blair is expected to announce a May 5 election on Monday. The manifesto will be formally approved at a meeting next week involving the Cabinet, Labour's national executive committee and representatives of Labour MPs and the party's national policy forum.

Yesterday, the Confederation of British Industry and the National Consumer Council urged the three main parties to improve customer service in the health service and education system.

CBI spokesman Rod Aldridge said: "Although there have been improvements, many public services still fail to adequately provide for their needs. In some cases, they are given little information and are shown a lack of respect."

Deirdre Hutton, the council's chair, said: "Our dialogue with consumers unearthed powerful emotions - some real scepticism about whether public services are becoming more user-focused, but also a deep commitment to those services that touch all our lives. Perhaps above all, consumers tell us they want to be involved in making our public services work."

- Independent