John Prescott has defended the government after fellow cabinet minister Clare Short attacked its growing use of performance targets and "lousy" record on spin.

This is basically a good government with a crummy, lousy style Clare Short

In an interview with the Observer newspaper Ms Short said government targets in the public services had "proliferated madly", leaving many people confused.

The international development secretary also criticised Labour's presentation style, claiming rows about spin had damaged its reputation with young people.

Mr Prescott said he agreed with some of Ms Short's comments but, on targets in particular, she was not "entirely right".

Delivery

The deputy prime minister said he had also expressed doubts about the use of targets, "because if you fail to achieve them by one or two per cent, then the media will interpret that as failure".

But he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme they still had an important part to play in improving the delivery of public services.

"Sometimes they (targets) work. Sometimes they don't work.

"But they are important in lifting up the quality of performance and committing people to deliver."

'Talking a good game'

Ms Short's comments will touch a raw nerve with ministerial colleagues, who in recent months have been forced to abandon a string of targets on asylum, drug abuse and transport policy.

The MP for Birmingham Ladywood, who has a reputation for speaking her mind, said such benchmarks were useful for keeping the government focused.

But she added: "I hope we're a grown-up enough country that when we cool down the targetry a department isn't crucified if it doesn't quite meet one because something spectacular happened."

In a wide ranging interview, she said the government had "talked a good game" on tackling inequality and prejudice.

But it had yet to "storm the citadel" on access to universities and the civil service.

'Irony of ironies'

In a stinging rebuke of the government's handling of the media, she said progress in attacking inequality had been hampered by a reluctance to promote traditional Labour values.

She said: "This is basically a good government with a crummy, lousy style.

"Funnily enough [with] New Labour, the new bit was presentation, and actually the content of the government is much better than the presentation.

"Isn't that an irony of ironies?

"We are a lot better than our image, our style and, dare I say it, our spin.

"The public are sick to death of spin and they want things to be more straightforward and they are right."

She admitted the government must accept its share of the blame - along with the media - for the development of spin.

"It is partly the fault of the government and the New Labour machine and trying to get a grip and get a good image, and it has backfired on us and damaged us."