Volvo quick to make mileage out of Labour's woes

Volvo has hit back at the suggestion that their cars were as stodgy and hopeless as Gordon Brown.

Clearly stung at their cars being compared with the last Labour prime minister, the company's PR department swung into action, saying the documents "show just how out of touch with reality senior politicians within the previous government had become with modern Britain".

A spokesman said: "If only the Labour Party had been like today's Volvos – dynamic, agile and innovative – perhaps the UK economy would have been in a better place than it finds itself today."

Reports claim the reason for the name "Project Volvo" relates to Mr Brown's apparent character traits of being "dependable, robust but ultimately dour".

BMW is much more relaxed about the present Prime Minister being thought of as having the qualities of one of their sports cars. Mr Balls's papers apparently also revealed a fear among Labour strategists that David Cameron was seen by voters as "a sports car, BMW". A BMW spokeswoman responded; "We are absolutely fine with that. We have no problem with that at all."