David Cameron and Gordon Brown clashed on the causes of the recession and the recipe for tackling it yesterday as Labour unveiled a slimmed-down legislative programme for the last full session before the general election.

Only 14 Bills, compared with the 18 promised in a draft Queen’s Speech in May, featured, and ministers said that their overriding aim was to concentrate on tackling the economic downturn. With the session starting several weeks later than usual, the programme was the smallest since Labour returned to power. The measures should cause Mr Brown little trouble with his backbenchers and the aim is also to allow MPs to spend longer in their constituences, preparing for a poll that must come within 18 months. Notable absentees from the expected list were a constitutional reform Bill and one extending the collection of personal data, both of which were felt to look irrelevant in troubled times.

Instead, there are measures to strengthen bank regulation, support for the construction industry, plans to get people off benefit and into work and to help to stave off repossessions.

Mr Cameron condemned the programme as nothing but “bureaucratic bungling and technocratic tinkering”.

There was no recognition that the Government had no money left. It was all about the “short-term prospects of the Prime Minister” and not about Britain’s long-term future, he said. He spoke of the disappearance of certain Labour policies. “Eco-towns — [Mr Brown] told us there would be loads of them, in fact only one is still alive. He promised zero-carbon homes — well, I can tell the House there have been virtually zero of them,” the Tory leader said. “He promised three million new homes — in fact, house building fell by a quarter last year.”

Mr Cameron said that the Prime Minister needed to accept “what the whole country now knows”, that his bank recapitalisation was not working. Banks were not lending to small businesses and families and yet the Government responded with “endless meetings” with bankers, he said.

Everyone knew that taxes would go up under Labour because of the “black hole in the public finances”.

“You assume the British people are stupid. You assume they won’t realise that you’ll have to fill the black hole with higher taxes; that they don’t notice when you do a tax-con Budget not a tax cut; that they’ll believe it when you say this all comes from America. You think they’re stupid.”

He told Mr Brown: “Largely responsible for the collapse of our economy, you are absolutely clueless about the collapse of our society. You are yesterday’s man, so will you get on and call an election, so the people of this country can put this dreadful Government out of its misery?”

Mr Brown said that measures in the speech would offer “real help for homeowners and families”, including a scheme to allow hard-pressed householders to defer some mortgage interest payments for up to two years.

Legislation would for the first time “abolish” child poverty and give young people the right to apprenticeships. The Government was supporting housing associations and town halls in their efforts to build more social housing, he added. “Not just real help for businesses and families now, but meeting our country’s needs for future housing,” he said.

Mr Brown said that the Government would enhance the rights and responsibilities of those looking for work. “A requirement that those out of work undertake work-related activity, so instead of languishing on the dole we help them to enhance their skills and to raise their confidence, giving them the tools they need to invest in the future and to make a contribution. All this is in stark contrast to the Opposition’s flagship policy on unemployment, launched in the morning, sunk in an afternoon, that the Federation of Small Businesses called a disincentive, not an incentive, to work. It is clear that the Opposition have no interest in measures that give people jobs, help people with businesses and help people stay in their homes.”

The Prime Minister said that the Tories had made “critical mistakes and misjudgments” over the economy and were tied to the “old dogma that any action to be taken has to be paid for by public spending cuts”.

“In the last few months they have said no to action on Northern Rock, no to action on share speculation, no to our fiscal package, no to our VAT cuts, no to our public works, no to our public investment. When it came to the crunch, they reverted to being what they always were — a Conservative Party that did not want to take action and [was] uncaring and unfair about the difficulties that people face.”

With a nod to Barack Obama, the President-elect, he added: “All over the world people are saying ‘Yes we can’. Only the Opposition are saying ‘No we won’t’ .”

Health Bill Introduces NHS constitution setting out rights of patients and staff. Measures to improve public health including bans on cigarette displays and vending machines
Vote winner: 3/5 Banana skin: 2/5

Policing and Crime Bill Introduces paedophile travel ban and crackdowns on lap-dancing clubs and bars promoting binge drinking. Measures to promote cooperation on airport security
Vote winner: 4/5 Banana skin: 2/5

Banking Bill Intended to stop banks getting into trouble, but helping depositors when they do. It will also be used to try to get the banks lending again
Vote winner: 4/5 Banana skin: 3/5

Coroners and Justice Bill More protection for witnesses, a ban on criminals profiting from memoirs, reform of coroners’ courts and murder law, including abolishing the partial defence of provocation
Vote winner 3/5 Banana skin: 3/5

Welfare Reform Bill Tougher benefit rules including measures to cut payments to claimants refusing to seek work
Vote winner: 4/5 Banana skin: 5/5

Borders, Immigration and Citizenship Bill Creates “earned citizenship” scheme for foreigners who want to become British. Promises “fully integrated approach” to border control
Vote winner: 4/5 Banana skin: 3/5

Constitutional Reform Gives MPs votes on going to war and signing treaties
Vote winner: 1/5 Banana skin: 3/5

Children, Skills and Learning Bill Raises education leaving age to 18, gives teachers search powers, cuts Ofsted inspections for good schools and clears way to apprenticeship places for “every suitably qualified young person” by 2013
Vote winner: 2/5 Banana skin: 3/5

Political Parties and Elections Bill Reforms party funding, including limit on spending between elections, not just during campaigns
Vote winner: 1/5 Banana skin5/5

Savings Gateway Accounts Bill Aims to create a financial incentive for eight million poorer people to save, with government contributing 50p for every £1 put aside
Vote winner: 3/5 Banana skin: 2/5

Equality Bill Requires public bodies to do more to tackle discrimination, bans pay secrecy clauses
Vote winner: 2/5 Banana skin: 3/5

Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill Gives councils greater role in economic development, reforms law to ease cashflow problems for construction companies, makes councils respond to petitions
Vote winner: 2/5 Banana skin: 3/5

Child Poverty Bill Commitment to eradicate child poverty by 2020 enshrined in law
Vote winner: 2/5 Banana skin: 1/5

Marine and Coastal Access Bill Enshrines right to walk around English coast, sets up a marine management organisation to oversee marine conservation and related policy
Vote winner: 2/5 Banana skin: 1/5

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