Labour needs to start urgently winning back the middle-class vote by highlighting issues such as crime and immigration if it is to win the next general election, Hazel Blears said last night.

In an unashamedly Blairite new Labour speech, the Communities Secretary said it was vital that the party pitched itself as the “party of the affluent” as well as the poorest families.

During a debate held by Progress, a group of modernisers, the Blairite minister Ms Blears argued that the New Labour approach had delivered three election victories by appealing to those across the social spectrum.

“If we retreat into our comfort zone, and duck the tough issues such as crime and immigration our coalition will fracture.”

Her speech follows John Hutton’s remarks earlier this month that he wanted to see “more millionaires”. Mr Hutton, the Business Secretary who is also a prominent Blairite, sparked a row by urging the party not to attack huge salaries and bonuses in the City.

The comments from both ministers follow signs that Stephen Carter, Gordon Brown’s chief guru, is rapidly revising strategy at No 10. After private party polling showing that Labour was losing support among the As, Bs and C1 groups, Mr Carter is said to be determined to broaden the party’s appeal.

On Tuesday he split the Cabinet into five groups, each chaired by one minister, to discuss how to draw up a winning strategy and hone a new message. Blairite ministers have for months felt that Gordon Brown risked abandoning Labour’s winning formula in his determination to be different.

Ms Blears said last night that Labour should not repeat the mistakes of the 1992 election when it was seen as the party of the NHS, education, and pensioners. Instead it should revert to the New Labour slogan of appealing to the many, not the few. “But against a background of rising mortgages, home repossessions and a turbulent economy, people voted for the Conservatives,” she said. “Because although Labour was good on “soft” issues, the Conservatives were ahead on the “tough” issues such as crime and the economy.”

Ms Blears, who is heading Labour’s local election campaign next month, said it was vital to win seats across the SouthEast and London as well as Sunderland and Salford.

“If you want increases in the national minimum wage and investment in the NHS, then we have to persuade people in Hastings, Basildon, Harlow and Luton that we are firm but fair on immigration; that we understand their apprehensions about the housing market and the economy; that we share their ambitions for their children to go to university and get on in life,” she said.

“That means appealing to the many, not the few. Being the party of the affluent as well as the poorest families.”

“I don’t want the politics of retrenchment and retreat, of saying what sounds good at the general committee meeting, of pandering to the Guardian.”

Ms Blears will also argue that the party will not win the election simply by talking about its achievements. “People expect and deserve the best from their public services; they don’t say thanks when things improve.

“That’s why \ is right to talk about the need for persistent public-service reforms, driving standards up ever higher, always rising to meet public demands.”

The middle class is set to become increasingly dissatisfied, with The Times reporting yesterday that it was being affected by the credit crunch, due to rises in the cost of living. The Consumer Credit Counselling Service said that even the professional classes were struggling with energy and mortgage costs.

Times Recommends

• In Margot Fonteyn's footsteps
• Forget beautiful people, let's have wonky Brits
• Fundamentalist brew: faith and power