Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain today moved to seize an early initiative in the race for the Labour Party deputy leadership.
In a letter to all Labour MPs, Mr Hain promised to "reconnect" the leadership with the wider party in the country and in Parliament.
At the same time, he announced his campaign team head by Local Government Minister Phil Woolas.
Other members include Northern Ireland Ministers Maria Eagle and Paul Goggins, his two parliamentary private secretaries Chris Ruane and Dan Norris, and MEP for Wales, Eluned Morgan.
In addition, he published a list of another 21 Labour MPs who were "available for quotes" on his campaign. The move comes even though John Prescott has yet to stand down - although he has said that he will go before next year's party conference in September.
In his letter to MPs, Mr Hain acknowledged the need to show a "new respect" for the wider party.
"Too often the government has seemed to hand down policies from on high, and too often our communication with the party feels like a lecture rather than a dialogue," he said.
At the same time he stressed the need to develop a "radical programme of progressive policies" with measures to "narrow the gap between the rich and the poor" and "grasp the leadership of the green agenda".
He said that while remaining tough on security, there was a need to protect civil liberties, and ensure "the right balance between the power of the state and the freedoms of the citizen".
He also expressed support for an elected House of Lords and electoral reform for parliamentary elections in the form of the alternative vote in existing single member seats.
"If we can accomplish these tasks - if we forge a new bond between the leadership of the party and MPs, members and the unions and if we can reach out, with a radical vision for the future, to those people who have become disillusioned with our government - then I believe we can reassemble the progressive coalition with which we won in 1997 and 2001 but started to fracture in 2005, and achieve that historic fourth term," he said.
Mr Hain is likely to be competing in a crowded field. Those who indicated an interest in standing include Cabinet ministers Alan Johnson, Hilary Benn and Jack Straw as well as Constitutional Affairs Minister Harriet Harman and backbenchers John Cruddas and John McDonnell.
PA