Tories posing increasing threat - Hain

The Government must adopt a "more visionary approach" to policy or face low turn-out and the risk of Tory success at the next General Election, Cabinet minister Peter Hain has warned.

The Commons Leader said that Tories were "slowly but surely" getting their act together and posed an "increasing threat" to New Labour.

He predicted that turnout would be lower than at the last election unless Labour could set out its agenda as clearly, and as soon, as possible.

In a wide-ranging interview with political magazine Prospect, pro-euro Mr Hain also warned that Britain's influence in Europe would wane the longer it stayed out of the single currency.

And he said that Europe was not "punching its weight" in global affairs and should work in "close partnership" with the United States rather than viewing it as a rival.

Mr Hain told Prospect: "We need to inspire people with a much clearer vision and a much clearer set of values and ideals within a framework that people can understand."

He warned: "Don't ever under-estimate the Tories, because they're getting their act together, slowly but surely, and they're going to pose an increasing threat.

"I think there is a great danger that if we are just seen as another set of politicians managing society, then people may say, 'We'll have a look at a different set of politicians'."

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