Gordon Brown's senior advisers are urging him to copy John Major's tactics in the 1992 general election and smear the Tories until they seem untrustworthy in the eyes of the public.

Downing Street strategists want to spend next year destroying Tory credibility and painting an image of a “smiling [David] Cameron making cuts”. They believe that Mr Major beat Neil Kinnock against the odds in 1992 by raising questions about Labour's competence and presenting the electorate with an avalanche of allegations, some of them untrue.

The push for a change in tactics comes amid an attack on the Government's character by leaders of the Church of England. Five bishops accused Labour in a Sunday newspaper of being too concerned with winning the next election; one even described the party as “morally corrupt”.

Mr Brown's advisers say Mr Major's promises to lead the country out of the recession were less important in his victory. Internal polling and focus group research have led them to believe that voters are receptive to suggestions that the Tories have not changed and would still cut public services. They believe the downturn will restore voters' faith in the State and that once the recession is over, voters will be “grateful” to Labour.

Mr Brown has played down suggestions of an early election, saying that he is focused on the economy, fighting climate change and bolstering international security. Aides have said that the country would be “disgusted” if the Prime Minister went to the country now.

In his new year message, Mr Brown will say that he is confident that the country has the “right character” to meet the economic crisis, but the Rt Rev Tom Wright, the Bishop of Durham, berated ministers in The Sunday Telegraph for not doing enough to help the poor: “Labour made a lot of promises, but a lot of them have vanished into thin air.”

The Rt Rev Nigel McCulloch, the Bishop of Manchester, criticised Labour for encouraging debt. “The Government believes that money can answer all of the problems ... It's morally corrupt because it encourages people to get into a lifestyle of believing they can always get what they want.” He said that the Government was guilty of pursuing the same policies championed by Margaret Thatcher. “Both administrations have been beguiled by money.”

The Rt Rev Stephen Lowe, the Bishop of Hulme, suggested that the Government was cynically attempting to improve the economy in time for the next general election while the Rt Rev Michael Scott-Joynt, the Bishop of Winchester, said: “The Government hasn't done anything like enough to help those less well off ... it seems to have its eye on re-election instead.”

The Rt Rev Graham Dow, the Bishop of Carlisle, said: “I agree with the Conservatives that the breakdown of the family is a crucial element in the difficulties of our present society. The Government hasn't given sufficient support to that because it's scared of losing votes.”

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