Gordon Brown is set to unveil the government's legislative plans in a move being seen as a relaunch of his leadership.

The prime minister is to detail the government's draft legislative programme, outlining the bills which are to be passed in the run up to the next general election.

He will also set out a range of policies aimed at giving the users of public services more say over how they are delivered.

And there will be a pledge to house local residents ahead of immigrants, asylum seekers and people from other areas.

The move is part of Brown's 'Building Britain's future' programme, and is being unveiled in a bid to win back support in traditional Labour heartlands where support has grown for the BNP.

A £500m social housebuilding programme is also due to be announced, with reports noting that 1.6 million households in Labour heartlands are on council waiting lists.

Other public sector reform measures listed in the programme include granting patients the legal right to hospital care within 18 weeks, granting cancer sufferers the right to see a specialist within two weeks and a "statement of entitlement" for parents telling them what they can demand from their children's education.

However, business secretary Lord Mandelson has indicated to the Financial Times that plans to part-privatise the Royal Mail could be put on hold due to a lack of parliamentary time.

He said: "I want to retain the slot, but... I have to concede that the original linking of the legislative passage and the bidding process for the strategic partner has been decoupled."

There have been concerns the new plans could put further pressure on public spending, despite the record levels of borrowing.

The Centre for Economics and Business Research has warned that public spending is set to rise to 50 per cent of GDP by the end of the next financial year.