Brown outlines political vision

Updated 21.49 Mon Sep 03 2007

Keywords: labour, conservatives, david cameron, gordon brown, politics

Gordon Brown has promised "a new type of politics", involving opposition MPs, citizens' juries and a citizens' summit in government.

Mr Brown also promised a cross-party Speakers' Conference to tackle the issue of low voter turn-out.

"I believe that Britain needs a new type of politics which embraces everyone" - Gordon Brown

The Prime Minister said the first citizens' jury will meet this week to discuss youth and children's issues.

He announced that Tory MP Patrick Mercer has been asked to advise the Government's Security Minister, Lord West, and fellow Conservative John Bercow to lead a review of services for children and young people with speech, language and communication needs.

Liberal Democrat MP Matthew Taylor will advise ministers on land use through the planning system to support sustainable rural communities.

Mr Brown said the rarely-used device of the Speakers' Conference would "address the problems of the political system itself".

The Prime Minister, in a speech to the National Council of Voluntary Organisations in London, said that with the new political season starting it could no longer be "business as usual".

Mr Brown said: "I believe that Britain needs a new type of politics which embraces everyone in this nation, not just a few.

"A politics built on consensus, not division. A politics that draws on the widest range of talents and expertise, not the narrow circles of power.

"I do not agree with the old belief of half a century ago that we can issue commands from Whitehall and expect the world to change. Nor can we leave these great social challenges simply to the market alone."