Britain's Brown makes pre-election populist pitch

Prime Minister Gordon Brown, seeking to stave off an expected election defeat, pledged Tuesday to restore trust in Britain's tarnished politics, kick start its stuttering economy and slash government debt.

Brown sketched out a likely Labour Party manifesto as he announced a blizzard of populist policies which he hopes will boost the organization's flagging ratings before a national election, which must by law be called by June.

Addressing the party's convention in seaside Brighton, Brown announced plans to allow Britons to recall lawmakers who breach rules, and proposed a major change to how Parliament is elected.

The 58-year-old Scot _ who was Treasury chief before replacing Tony Blair as prime minister in 2007 _ also pledged to curb excesses in the financial markets.

"We can do all these things and more if we think big and then fight hard," Brown told delegates in his last conference speech before a national election.

The governing Labour Party looks certain to lose power for the first time since 1997, having trailed the opposition Conservative Party in opinion polls for more than a year.

Brown has pinned his hopes of a comeback on policies aimed at enthusing beleaguered activists and wooing ordinary Britons concerned about the economic downturn.

Using the slogan "Operation Fightback," Brown promised improvements to how Britain treats cancer and cares for the elderly, and he vowed to limit the impact of spending cuts on public services.

"Since 1997, Labour has given this country back its future. And we are not done yet," Brown said.

He offered new plans to increase state pensions and to halt the introduction of unpopular national identity cards.

Following a scandal this year over lawmakers' excessive expense claims, Brown said he would allow local communities to recall legislators who break parliamentary rules.

He also pledged to hold a referendum on changing Britain's majoritarian electoral system to be more representative by allowing voters to rank legislative candidates. If no candidate wins 50 percent outright, the votes that went to losing candidates would be redistributed to decide who wins.

"This is the battle cry," Home Secretary Alan Johnson said following Brown's speech. "Anyone who thought that we were on our knees, anyone who thought that we had given up and were prepared to just drift out of power know quite clearly now that we are not _ it's game on."

Though Brown won applause from a crowded conference hall, some ministers at Labour's rally have made speeches to rows of empty seats. Gloomy activists have expressed little confidence in the party's hopes of winning.

Even Brown's Cabinet ally, business secretary Peter Mandelson, said the party leader must show more "razzmatazz" to entice those disillusioned with his leadership.

An Ipsos MORI poll published Tuesday put Brown's Labour in third place for the first time since 1982 _ behind both the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats.

The Conservatives, expected to win the next election, had 36 percent support in the poll, the Liberal Democrats had 25 percent and Labour had 24 percent. Ipsos MORI interviewed 1,003 people by telephone between Sept. 25-27. Survey samples of such size usually give a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Gerry McCarthy, a retired 66-year-old from the southern town of Hove, predicted Brown's speech would inspire voters.

"It was outstanding," McCarthy said of the speech, which he listened to on the radio. "Gordon Brown is head and shoulders above everyone else. I think he is a sincere man, and he genuinely wants to work for the people. He gave a complete blueprint for the next generation."

Brown's wife, Sarah, hailed the leader as "my husband, my hero," in an emotional introduction to his address, while U2 singer Bono paid tribute in a video message. "He is what makes Britain great," the musician said.

But the leader's political foes said Brown simply cannot afford to meet many of his new pledges, calling the speech "a long shopping list with no price tag."

"He didn't acknowledge the mistakes he has made or that his government has run out of money," Conservative Party chairman Eric Pickles said.