Labour members back higher taxes on rich

Gordon Brown faced fresh Labour tensions today as a poll found party members overwhelmingly favour heavier taxes on the rich.

The YouGov survey revealed eight out of 10 members want a higher top rate for those earning £100,000 or more, plus a windfall tax on energy firms.

A third want to ban City bonuses altogether, the poll commissioned by Left-wing group Compass claimed.

The challenge to Mr Brown came after former Cabinet minister Peter Hain claimed Labour faces electoral disaster unless it adopts a "very different" agenda.

He used a weekend interview and article to criticise Mr Brown's leadership and mark himself as a potential successor. Mr Hain said Labour had lost its "narrative" and its policies "do not add up to a programme to get the pulse of potential Labour voters racing".

The former Work and Pensions Secretary added: "If we want to be the government for the next five years, we are going to have to offer a very different prospectus or the people won't buy it. Just saying we want more of New Labour is not enough."

The YouGov research found 77 per cent of Labour members think Mr Brown is doing a good job - a higher rating than his Cabinet colleagues.

Foreign Secretary David Miliband came next on 74 per cent, followed by Alistair Darling on 73 and Lord Mandelson on 62.