Darling: Labour "lost the will to live"

Labour has 'lost the will to live', according to chancellor Alistair Darling who was speaking on the eve of the Labour party's annual conference.

Comparing the party to flagging football team who has given up before the final whistle, Mr Darling urged Labour to 'come out fighting'.

In the interview with the Observer, Mr Darling made it clear who was to blame.

'From the prime minister, the chancellor, every government minister. It is all our responsibilities,' he said.

'We don't look as if we have got fire in our bellies.'

Many commentators believe this could be the Labour party’s last conference in power before the Conservatives win the next general election in the spring.

Prime minister Gordon Brown seems to be heeding the advice and has given interviews to the News of the World and the Sunday Telegraph, telling the former his plans to get the economy under control without cuts to frontline services, and pledging no 'squeeze' on the middle classes to the latter.