Tony Blair and Alastair Campbell have been secretly giving advice to Labour campaign chiefs on how to get Ken Livingstone re-elected, it emerged today.

The former prime minister and his media strategist, as well as pollster Philip Gould, have been asked by London minister Tessa Jowell how best to take on Boris Johnson.

Ms Jowell, the minister drafted in by Number 10 to oversee the Livingstone campaign, described the trio as "the best in the business" as she declared that all sections of the party want a Livingstone victory.

But the Standard understands that Mr Blair has not been directly involved with the team running the Mayor's re-election bid.

A source within Mr Livingstone's camp stressed that the Mayor had opposed the Iraq war and the part-privatisation of the Tube - two key legacies of the Blair era.

"Ken welcomes the support he has had in the campaign from anyone including Alastair Campbell, Philip Gould, and particularly the strong support he has had from government ministers. At the same time, you only have to see the importance his campaign gives to issues like opposing the war in Iraq and bringing the maintenance of the Tube back into public ownership to understand the character of his campaign," the source said.

Mr Blair - who with Mr Campbell and Mr Gould won three general elections - is understood to have advised that Mr Livingstone cannot win solely on his record and that he has to convince the private sector he can attract investment to London.

The former prime minister has privately advised that the election is winnable as long as the Mayor presents a powerful vision of his next term rather than concentrating on his previous two terms.

Mr Blair famously expelled Mr Livingstone from Labour in 2000 after he stood and won as an independent candidate. The ex-GLC leader was re-admitted by Mr Blair ahead of the 2004 election and the then premier admitted he had been wrong to claim that Mr Livingstone would be a "disaster for London".

Gordon Brown is hoping that a Livingstone victory will derail David Cameron's bandwagon and offer a boost on 1 May, when local elections across the country are expected to deliver bad news for Labour.

Ms Jowell told The Guardian: "All that is a measure of how everybody who has been part of New Labour wants to see it go forward and wants to see Ken win London," she said.

"We sought advice from people who were in place as part of the New Labour team in the past, Alastair Campbell and Philip Gould. They are the best in the business and of course you go for the very best advice."

Mr Campbell, admitting he had been in touch with senior members of the team although in an unofficial capacity, admitted: "I amaze myself going round talking up Ken because I used to think he was dreadful. But you simply have to admit that he has done a really good job."

However, Mr Livingstone's former Tory rival Stephen Norris, who is advising Boris Jonhson's campaign, told The Guardian the Mayor was not the candidate he had fought at the last two elections. "He is distracted ... he is not the feisty, witty performer with the grip of detail that I could not help but like," he said.

Meanwhile Mr Livingstone has promised to give jobs to all three of his main rivals if he is re-elected. The Mayor said that even Mr Johnson would be offered a position, although he was unsure whether the Tory would accept. He said Mr Johnson could have a job in enforcing the Mayor's skills and employment strategy, but sarcastically added it was because the Henley MP was good at finding work for the low-skilled.

Mr Livingstone is keen for his Transport for London management team to be kept in place and for Met chief Sir Ian Blair to be allowed to continue his neighbourhood policing drive.

Mr Johnson has in recent days hinted that TfL chiefs Tim O'Toole and Peter Hendy may not be sacked.

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