LABOUR is to resuscitate its "celebrity unit" ahead of the next election, in an attempt to attract more supporters from the arts, sport and business.

Tony Blair, the Prime Minister, is concerned that many of the party’s high-profile friends have turned their back and deprived the party of much-needed donations, largely because of opposition to the war in Iraq.

Michael Cashman, a Labour MEP and former EastEnders actor, has been charged by Mr Blair with the task of wooing back disaffected supporters.

Celebrities are still seen at No10 - Nigella Lawson, the TV cook, visited this week - but numbers are well down on a few years ago, a trend that worries the Prime Minister.

The secret campaign risks reviving bad memories of "Cool Britannia", when Mr and Mrs Blair held glittering receptions in Downing Street for stars like Noel Gallagher from Oasis, singer Mick Hucknall of Simply Red and the writer and comedian Ben Elton.

Some of those who attended have since publicly criticised the government, suggesting that being associated with New Labour and the Blairs no longer carries much celebrity cachet.

Gallagher said: "When Tony Blair said he was courting the music business, idiots like me thought we could have a say, but it became a publicity stunt on his behalf."

Elton was also ill at ease with Mr Blair’s vision: "I don’t mind Radio One being trendy, but I can do without the Labour Party trying to strut its funky stuff. I didn’t vote Labour because they’ve heard of Oasis."