Mr McConnell was taking part in a debate

He admitted that he was concerned about Tony Blair's policies getting more support from voters north of the border than Scottish Labour have been able to achieve in the Holyrood elections.

Mr McConnell was taking part in a series of BBC Radio Scotland programmes examining why so many voters have become disengaged from party politics.

It was pointed out to him that while Labour took 44% of the Scottish vote in the last general election, in May's Holyrood poll the party's support in the second vote fell to under 30%.

He told his audience of non-voters that this deficit was not new, but that it had concerned him for some time.

Party manifesto

"There are many more people in Scotland who prefer London Labour to Scottish Labour and we need to tackle that issue," he said.

He acknowledged that there had been some difficulties in setting the heather on fire with the party's manifesto for this year's Holyrood election.

But he said: "I do think it was a manifesto that was tapping into the concerns that people have got in Scotland.

That 10% gap worries me and I want to do something about it Jack McConnell First Minister

"I think that if we see that through over the next four years we can build the confidence in Scottish Labour that has not been there in the past.

"The first challenge in dealing with that is to admit it. I certainly see it.

"That 10% gap worries me and I want to do something about it."

He said his remedy involved identifying realistic goals and ensuring his party does not make promises it cannot keep.

Mr McConnell and the other party leaders faced audiences of critics who boycotted the polling booth at the last election.

They all agreed that voter apathy was a serious issue.

Engage in dialogue

Presiding Officer George Reid, who allowed the series to be recorded on the floor of the parliament, said it was a threat to democracy.

"It is an absolutely fascinating experiment because people who do not vote have the chance to say why," he said.

"If they say so clearly then the politicians will have the chance to take them up on it, to engage in dialogue with them and hopefully turn them back into voters next time round."

The series, entitled "Who do these people think they are?" begins on Radio Scotland on Monday after the news at 2200 BST.