Politics UK: Labour Backbencher: Jon Cruddas MP speaks out at Party's summer lecture Compass

Jon Cruddas, a Labour Member of Parliament in the UK, has taken the intellectual leadership of the party, according to Allegra Stratton, "Jon Cruddas urges return to Labour core values" (Sept8,2k9, Guardian)

He recommended a list of policies which he described as a route map for Labour renewal, including replacing tuition fees with a "graduate solidarity tax", to be paid by graduates when they went over the basic rate of taxation, with the money earmarked for higher education; putting a fair employment clause in all public contracts; introducing windfall and transaction taxes; and resetting capital gains taxes. He pushed for the remutualisation of the finance sector and a credit card bill of rights for consumers and urged Labour to set up a high pay commission.

Cruddas's criticism of Labour -- which he describes as "meekly" accepting as forthcoming, a Tory election victory -- comes after his reluctance to join June's attempted coup against the prime minister effectively shored up Brown's position. Former cabinet minister James Purnell, whose resignation nearly toppled Brown, appeared alongside Cruddas. They have assumed unofficial status as the key thinkers on the future of the party after Purnell left the government saying the prime minister was hindering Labour's chances of winning the next election. He is now working for the Demos thinktank canvassing opinion on the future of the left.

You can also get a slant on the Conservative Party leader, trying to become the new Prime Minister, by clicking up Patrick Wintour and Nicolas Watt, "Government spending: Tories launch battle of the cuts. (Sept8,2k9, Guardian).