McCartney says Tories `cuddling up' to extremists

THE SUMMER'S political sparring got off to an acrimonious start yesterday as the Tories accused the Government of wasting new ministers' time on Labour party propaganda.

Ann Widdecombe, the Shadow Home Secretary, launched her attack after Labour published its "X-files" claiming to show that the Conservatives were now extremists.

Newly appointed Cabinet Office minister and Labour co-ordinator Ian McCartney said that on every issue from fox-hunting to handguns the Tories were "cuddling up" to people on the fringes of British politics.

He was joined by Gisela Stuart, the new health minister, as they claimed that the Tories would reduce the NHS to a safety net service. The event was the first of many ordered by Tony Blair for the summer to feature new ministers attacking their opponents as a means of introducing themselves to the public.

However, Labour was itself put on the defensive after Ms Stuart revealed that she had spent her first weekend in office studying the Opposition's health proposals. Miss Widdecombe attacked as a waste of taxpayers' money the "juvenile party political antics" and said that it was incredible that Mr Blair had sanctioned such an abuse of ministerial time.

"Instead of ordering his ministers to improve their departments, the Prime Minister has told them to campaign against the Conservatives this summer," she said.

"We now have a health minister claiming to have spent her first weekend in office studying Conservative policy instead of learning about her job. All this just proves that Tony Blair is rattled by his Government's failure to deliver and the success of the Conservatives in highlighting the chaos and confusion at the heart of New Labour."

Ms Stuart, who was one of five women MPs plucked from the backbenches in last week's reshuffle, said that it was "appropriate" for her to highlight Tory policies to emphasise the Government's own performance. Labour's X-files campaign, which could feature Melanie Johnson, the new Treasury minister, was also defended by Mr McCartney as a valid political exercise which would not prevent ministers from getting on with their jobs.

"We have appointed people because of their quality and their class. There won't be ministers in government who aren't on top of their briefs and delivering on their policies," he said.

"We don't close down for summer. [The press] would be the first to complain if you saw us hiding them away."

The campaign claims that extreme Euro-sceptics, tax exiles, and supporters of blood sports, handguns and tax exemptions for private health and education are dictating Tory policy.

Mr McCartney also confirmed yesterday that Labour had banned the anti- euro group Business for Sterling from this year's party conference. He said that the decision had been made after it was discovered that it had sponsored the Conservatives' business liaison unit and was run by senior Tories.

Under Labour rules, it could not accept a booking for a stand at this year's Bournemouth conference if the group was linked to a rival party.

He also claimed Business for Sterling, run by former Labour minister and cross bench peer Lord Marsh, had not responded to requests to clarify its relationship with the Tories.