Labour's use of spin has damaged parliamentary democracy, John Major has claimed.

In a pamphlet published by the Centre for Policy Studies, the former prime minister argued that the government's "presentational successes" had contributed to the low turnout at the last general election.

"New Labour's obsession with spin, with style, with perception, has given it great presentational successes," he wrote.

"But our political system has paid a high price as, on occasion, have its own most skilful practitioners.

"Slick presentation has proved the forerunner of distrust."

"No one should dismiss the turnout at the last election as a 'blip', brought about solely because New Labour was unappealing and the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats unready," he added.

"The malaise is deep and is getting worse: it needs to be understood and acted upon."

He described the government's spin as "the pornography of politics".

"It perverts. It is deceit licensed by the government. From the moment New Labour saw the value of spin, the truth became partisan," he argued.

"The outgoing Conservative government was to be abused: no piece of character assassination, no calumny, no half-truth, no insult was to be missed.

"Nor were they the only target. Others who embarrassed the government - even non-politicians such as the 94-year old hospital patient Mrs Rose Addis, or the train campaigner Pam Warren - were all part of the shooting gallery.

"So too, at one time, was the 'psychologically flawed' Gordon Brown, and Mo Mowlam, who had committed the sin of being too popular."

Prime minister's questions the Commons has become a "pointless farce", Major wrote.

"Critical questions rarely elicit an answer, or even rational argument, and are more likely to stimulate a patronising jeer or a party political rant in response," he said.

"It is time to reform this farce or abandon it."

Major also criticised reform of the House of Lords, claiming it had "robbed parliament of a revising chamber of talent and experience and independent thought".

"Hereditary legislators were a soft target but, if they had to go, they should have been replaced by others with similar virtues. They were not," he said.

However, he dismissed proposals for a fully-elected second chamber.

"First-rate independent minds who have made it to the top of their professions would be replaced by second-rank politicians whose party whips would do their thinking for them," he argued.

"A pale imitation of the Commons would be pointless and would further diminish parliament."

The former prime minister also warned that the neutrality of the civil service was under threat from the "unseemly sight of ministers, from the prime minister downwards, openly blaming civil servants for errors that have in the past been accepted as the responsibility of ministers - and still should be".

"New Labour's blame culture must, over time, damage the advice offered to ministers and prejudice the loyalty and impartiality of the civil service," he claimed.

"This changed philosophy is evident in Downing Street. The tone was set by the appointment of a special adviser, instead of a career civil servant, as de facto the principal private secretary to the prime minister with authority of career civil servants."