The Conservatives stepped up their efforts to split the Labour party yesterday by issuing the schools minister Andrew Adonis an open invitation to serve in a Tory government under David Cameron.

The Conservative leader has previously lavished praise on Lord Adonis, the architect of the government’s flagship academies programme.

But today, Michael Gove, the shadow schools secretary, went one step further and said Lord Adonis would be welcome to join the Tories as a minister.

“I think Andrew Adonis has contributed hugely to the education debate in this country. The ideas that he and Tony Blair wanted to implement in education were the right ideas for the country.

“It’s a pity that Labour party politics meant the he has never been able to implement his full vision of reform,” he said.

He added: “I don’t want to embarrass him, but I know David Cameron would be happy to let him continue as a minister, provided he left the Labour party or to continue in some other role”

Mr Cameron has previously praised two other arch Blairites, the former ministers Alan Milburn and Stephen Byers.

Although they appeal to the values of Middle England that Mr Cameron is trying to make his own, the move may well anger traditional Tories who still have nothing but contempt for Mr Blair and his ideas.

Earlier this month the Labour MP and former minister for sport Kate Hoey agreed to work as an adviser on sport and the 2012 Olympics for the new Conservative mayor of London Boris Johnson.

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