Helen Clark will have to be a political contortionist to convince Tony Blair she has signed up to his third way, Opposition Leader Jenny Shipley said today.

"Instead of opening up the economy with lower taxes and competition, Labour in New Zealand is risking stalling the economy through its heavy-handed, big-Government style of management," Mrs Shipley said.

She called on the Prime Minister to discuss Blair's approach in a number of areas while she is in London.

"Blair supports education, through competitive performances of schools being published regularly, something Labour in New Zealand opposes. Blair supports the independence of the Bank of England in management of monetary policy without political intervention.

"Blair is quietly promoting privatisation and competition in new areas such as airports, the Post Office and industrial injury compensation. Clark opposes all that.

"Blair has opened up energy to competition. Clark has put the breaks on.

Blair supports attacking high unemployment by having a flexible Labour market. Clark's government is moving back to a highly unionised approach.

"Blair takes a tough stance on cannabis. Clark wants to decriminalise it.

"The list just goes on and on. There is a huge difference between Blair's third way and Clark's wrong way," Mrs Shipley said.

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