Express & Star

Labour stalwart Dennis Turner has warned the Government that it must return to its redistribution philosophy to get back on track – and help “heal the hurt” felt by voters.

The former Wolverhampton South East MP, now Lord Turner of Bilston, argued there was “a justifiable case” for tax increases on the top 10 per cent of taxpayers.

He said if Labour was to succeed in fulfilling its historic policy to eliminate poverty, then more radical plans on wealth, capital gains, income redistribution and taxation needed to be adopted.

The Government has set ambitious targets to halve child poverty by 2010 and eradicate it by 2020 – and boost employment to 80 per cent.

At present, income is being distributed through a combination of universal and targeted benefits through child, family and working tax credits, pension credits and the introduction of the minimum wage.

Speaking in the House of Lords yesterday, Lord Bilston acknowledged the self-infliction of electoral damage and unpopularity brought about by the recent albolition of the 10p tax band.

But he told the chamber: “In order to show some sympathy and solidarity with the present plight of millions of our citizens who are struggling to pay excessive utility and fuel bills, the Government should introduce a windfall tax on blatant profiteering.

“They should also refer some food price increases to the Office of Fair Trading and cancel the fuel excise duties proposed in the Budget.

“These measures would considerably help to heal the hurt felt by electors last Thursday,” he added.

Labour’s popularity slide hit a record low this week when an opinion poll showed David Cameron’s Tories charging into a 26 per cent lead.

A YouGov poll put Labour on 23 per cent – the party’s lowest ebb since modern polling began in the 1930s. The poll boosts Tory hopes of winning the Crewe and Nantwich by-election on May 22, heaping the pressure on Gordon Browns premiership.

Some Labour backbenchers have said the PM has six months to get the show back on the road before he faced the possibility of a leadership challenge. Last week’s elections were a disaster for Labour, which lost overall control of Wolverhampton Council during its worst election performance since the 1960s.