Blair unveils blueprint for third term

Tony Blair today moved to seize back the political initiative with an array of radical new proposals to form the blueprint for a third Labour term in power.

As a new opinion poll showed the Tories in the lead, the Prime Minister hit back by launching a "Big Conversation" public consultation exercise.

The survey by YouGov in the Daily Telegraph puts the Conservatives at 38 per cent, two points ahead of Labour, with the Liberal Democrats trailing with 19 per cent.

However, asked who would make the best prime minister, Mr Blair won the support of 31per cent, against 27per cent for the Tories' Michael Howard and 10per cent for Lib-Dem leader Charles Kennedy.

Mr Blair's 100-page document, A Future Fair for All, effectively fired the starting gun for the next general election by laying down a direct challenge to Mr Howard.

It included a range of controversial ideas - including possible moves to close down unpopular hospitals and GPs' surgeries.

The proposals are far more radical than the measures unveiled this week in the Queen's Speech - which set out the Government's legislative plans for the coming parliamentary session.

Other proposals in today's document include income-related fines for criminal offences, banning advertisements for unhealthy food targeted at children, and a tax on alcohol advertising.

It also suggests the possible scrapping of A-levels in favour of a continental-style baccalaureate, removal of state benefits from nuisance neighbours, the extension of on-the-spot fines for minor offences, and giving local communities tax-raising powers to pay for neighbourhood schemes.

Moves to compel lone parents and the disabled to find jobs in return for "better childcare, training and family friendly working", are also suggested.

It also effectively proposes a referendum - at least for Labour Party members - on the proposed new European Constitution by asking what changes are necessary.

Most ideas are put forward in the form of "suggestions" or questions, signalling that the most radical are unlikely ever to be implemented.

However, Mr Blair called for "bolder reform". He said Britain had come to a "fork in the road" and that Labour had to decide whether to settle for a soft option or press on even harder with controversial public service reforms.

But Tory chairman Liam Fox said: "This is not so much the big conversation it is more like the great escape. Tony Blair seems to want to be anywhere but Parliament at the present time, which is understandable as he is being beaten up by Michael Howard and set upon by his own backbenchers."

Meanwhile, Mr Howard renewed his attack on the Government's threat to take the children of failed asylum seekers into council care.

He wanted to know whether Mr Blair had dropped the proposal, after the Immigration and Asylum Bill published yesterday made no clear reference to it.

A Home Office spokeswoman said the move would go ahead and that no separate legislation was necessary as families with no income can have their children taken into care under existing anti-destitution laws.