Labour's record of "spin" and failure has come under strong attack from William Hague and former prime minister John Major.

At a rally in Brighton, John Major launched a stinging attack on Tony Blair and Labour, accusing his opponents of taking spin too far, "towards bare-faced deception."

"Their skill is to take a part truth and twist it beyond any acceptable meaning," said Major.

Major was followed on to the platform by his successor as Conservative Leader, William Hague, who told the audience that the public had seen Labour "break its word again and again".

The Conservatives would do more than Labour for pensioners, said Hague, promising higher basic pensions and action to help those forced to sell their homes to pay for long term care.

He also maintained his strong attack on Labour over Europe. "This election matters because it is the moment when Britain chooses between being an independent nation and becoming part of a larger European bloc," Hague said.

Repeating themes that the Conservatives have been keen to emphasise throughout the campaign, Hague said that taxes would be cut, criminals would be targeted and asylum procedures would not be a soft touch under the Conservatives.

In his address, John Major accused Labour of using deliberately deceitful scare tactics, and warned his party that Labour may use the same tactics against Conservative NHS policies at this election as they used against Tory pensions policy in 1997.

The Conservatives had nine days to "open the eyes of the electorate to the truth beyond the spin," said Major.

The former PM went on to accuse Labour of putting up taxes without the justification of a recession that he himself had faced. Many of Labour's tax increases had been "regressive and punitive" Major said, such as that levied on pension funds.

Major also took the opportunity to comment on his own record in government. Interest rates, unemployment and inflation had all been falling in 1997, he said, while taxes were lower than they now are.

Labour had also failed to meet the pledges it made to the electorate in 1997, argued Major, and their response to criticism was "simply breathtaking".

An "off-message" story appearing in the media is thought to be a plot to do them down, accused Major. "Such are the delusions of too much power, too large a majority, and too much slavish support from a Liberal Democrat party, ever willing to sacrifice principle for a sniff of influence."

Major also strongly attacked John Prescott for the punch he threw in Rhyl.

"Labour spun that famous punch brilliantly - but am I alone in believing that Mr Prescott's response was more that of a street-corner delinquent than a deputy prime Minster?" he asked.

Major concluded with an appeal to the public to become engaged with the election campaign.

"The polls suggest the nation is sleepwalking to catastrophe: our job is to wake them up," said Major.