Labour is set to use an election broadcast to intensify the attack on Michael Howard and the Tories.

Screened on Friday ahead of the European and local elections on June 10, the party says the Conservatives are a recession "waiting to happen".

The broadcast pointed to increased unemployment, interest rates and inflation during the last Conservative administration.

The introduction of the poll tax and Black Wednesday are also highlighted in the broadcast, which comes two weeks after a similar advertisement was criticised for focusing on Howard's personal record.

Financial secretary Ruth Kelly defended the Labour Party's tactics.

"Politics is about choice," she said. "For someone to make a choice they have to understand the difference between political parties.

"It is only right we should contrast our record with the record of the Conservative Party when it was in government.

"Michael Howard was a key player in John Major's government and the Thatcher administration.

"The decisions the Conservatives have taken since 1997 show they are committed to the same sorts of policies. They will repeat the mistakes of the past.

"Michael Howard and his shadow cabinet are a recession waiting to happen."