Lord Levy — who was Tony Blair's fundraiser for more than a decade — has held talks with a senior Tory, in the Conservative Party's most audacious bid yet to court Labour's supporters.

The peer held a private meeting with Michael Gove, the Tories' education spokesman, last month, The Times has learnt. Mr Gove made the approach, at the suggestion of a mutual friend, according to a well-placed source.

Yesterday Lord Levy said that they talked only about education policy and that he had neither sought nor been offered a role in a Tory administration. Yet in persuading the most effective fundraiser for New Labour to take even an informal advisory role, David Cameron would do much to justify his claim that it is dead.

Speaking at the Hay Literary Festival, in Powys, yesterday, Lord Levy repeated criticisms of Mr Brown made in his memoirs. He said: “[Mr Blair] has a tremendous ability to sell himself and project himself. Gordon is a very different politician — he just does not have that ability.”

He also made clear his resentment over Mr Blair's efforts to distance himself during the cash-for-honours police inquiry. “I found it very strange,” he said. “Was I hurt? Yes.”

Mr Gove's approach predated the appearance of the memoirs, and the ostensible topic was the academy schools scheme, for which the peer has attracted donors. It is understood that the Shadow Schools Secretary wanted to assure him that a Tory administration would not unpick existing agreements. Mr Gove also wanted to ask about the peer's views on faith schools and the role of charities in the public services, according to a senior Conservative.

Lord Levy told The Times: “Michael phoned me up and we shared a sandwich but had you been a fly on the wall you would have heard only conversations about the academy programme and faith schools, nothing party political.” He was happy to give advice on the academy programme to the Conservatives, having been involved in it throughout. “I am not seeking any role at all, nor was one offered.”

What the peer said

“A hunched and dishevelled figure [Mr Brown] walked in, plopped himself down in a chair and, without so much as looking up, took out a pen and began scribbling notes. At the end, still having spoken not a word ... he rose and left”

Tony Blair believed “Gordon was better suited to waging a guerrilla war against him from No 11 than running the country”

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