Ousted minister Simon Crean has given a scathing assessment of Prime Minister Julia Gillard's ability to lead the country, in a signal that Labor's leadership crisis is far from over.

He described Ms Gillard as having a ''tin ear'' for sound political strategy and engaging in ''class warfare'' by playing off interest groups, echoing opposition criticisms of Ms Gillard's position on removing payments to middle class recipients.

Illustration: Rocco Fazzari

Defying the Prime Minister's demand for unity in her government, Mr Crean said he would continue to campaign for Labor to return to the proud traditions established by former Labor leaders Bob Hawke and Paul Keating.

Mr Crean also said federal Labor was deluding itself that it was in trouble in the polls solely because of destabilisation by Kevin Rudd. "I've been through destabilisation," when he was Labor leader in 2001-03, "and we never went this low."