Blairites push for debate over party policy

Gordon Brown will be urged today to allow a wide-ranging debate over Labour's policies amid fears that the party is sleepwalking to defeat at the next general election.

Alan Milburn and Charles Clarke - both Blairites - will call for a policy discussion so the public does not think Labour has run out of fresh ideas.

Allies deny the aim is to foment a leadership challenge to Mr Brown, the overwhelming front-runner to succeed Tony Blair when he stands down this summer. Some Blairites want one of their number to stand against the Chancellor.

Mr Milburn and Mr Clarke insist their move is not "anti-Gordon". They discussed it in separate meetings with Mr Brown and Mr Blair this week and both were said to be sympathetic.

Yesterday Mr Blair denied he was dragging Labour down by clinging on to power after a CommunicateResearch survey for The Independent showed the Tories on 40 per cent, Labour on 29 per cent and the Liberal Democrats on 17 per cent, enough to give David Cameron an overall Commons majority of 100.