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Brown rallying Labour activists Brown's rallying call to Labour
(about 2 hours later)
Gordon Brown is issuing a rallying call to Labour activists to "work" for victory in May's local elections. Gordon Brown has attempted to breathe fire into the belly of Labour activists by telling them: "Let us build the Britain of our dreams".
In a speech to the party's spring conference in Birmingham, he will say Labour can deliver on the "dreams" voters have for their families. The prime minister told Labour's spring conference in Birmingham the past few months had not been easy for the party.
The prime minister will avoid big policy announcements, focusing instead on Labour's three-year vision. But he urged it to work for victory at May's local elections as only Labour could deliver the change voters wanted.
It is his first speech to party members since his decision not to call an election in October. It was his first speech to the party since his decision not to call an election in October.
Labour has seen its opinion poll ratings recover slightly since then but they are still trailing the Conservative Party. Mr Brown received a standing ovation from delegates for the speech, which avoided big policy announcements in favour of setting out his vision for the future.
The party is expected to face a tough fight at May's elections, when it will be contesting elections for about 160 councils in England and all Welsh councils. He urged activists to "embrace a new age of ambition" and told them a "Britain of security and opportunity for all is within our grasp".
'Better future' 'Realising potential'
It also faces a crucial test in London, where Ken Livingstone is running for a third term as mayor. He said only Labour - and not the Conservatives - had the "passion" and commitment to deliver opportunity for all.
When people ask me why they should vote for New Labour, I ask them to think of the dreams they have for their kids Gordon BrownLabour leader Imagine if together we create a Britain where, for all of us, the future is not a fate we can't escape but a common purpose we create Gordon BrownLabour leader class="" href="/1/hi/wales/7272000.stm">Mend politics - Cameron
In his speech, Mr Brown will focus on the kinds of policies people can expect to see from Labour between now and 2010 - the last possible date for a general election. "Imagine if together we build a Britain where what counts is not how high up you start, but how high you can reach.
But he will also attempt to breathe fire into the belly of activists by talking about the message he wants them to deliver on the doorstep. "A Britain where every parent of every child born today can watch them as they sleep and dare to believe that nothing is beyond them realising their potential.
"When people ask me why they should vote for New Labour, I ask them to think of the dreams they have for their kids and then join us in daring to believe that a better future for them and for us all is ours to make," the prime minister will say. "And imagine if together we create a Britain where, for all of us, the future is not a fate we can't escape but a common purpose we create."
His pledges will include rebuilding or refurbishing more than 320 schools by 2010, ensuring half of GP surgeries are open for at least one evening or weekend session every week by 2009 and building three million more homes. But Conservative leader David Cameron, in a speech earlier to the Welsh Tory conference, said people were "fed up with Labour" and only the Conservatives offered a new agenda.
Child poverty And he accused Mr Brown of helping to destroy public faith in politics with Labour's "systematic culture of spin".
He will say: "This is the New Labour promise of opportunity and security, not just for some but for all. 'Full employment'
"Personalised public services tailored to your needs, excellent education for all and economic stability on the road to full employment." In his Birmingham speech, Mr Brown pledged to rebuild or refurbish more than 320 schools by 2010, ensuring half of GP surgeries are open for at least one evening or weekend session every week by 2009 and building three million more homes.
The prime minister will also underline his commitment to eradicating child poverty, describing it as "a scar on the soul of Britain". He also underlined his commitment to eradicating child poverty, describing it as "the scar that demeans Britain".
We are trying to do something quite difficult which is to win a fourth term in office Ed MilibandCabinet office minister And he repeated his pledge that every child should leave school able to read, write and count - with personalised tuition if necessary.
And he will highlight pledges that every child should leave school able to read, write and count - with personalised tuition if necessary. He also defended Chancellor Alistair Darling - who has faced calls for his resignation over his handling of the Northern Rock nationalisation - hailing the latest figures showing record numbers in employment and saying full employment was "nearly within our grasp".
Mr Brown will also defend Chancellor Alistair Darling - who has faced calls for his resignation over his handling of the Northern Rock nationalisation. He said: "My pledge to the British people is that at all times we will keep inflation and mortgage rates low and ensure stability.
"My pledge to the British people is that we will keep inflation and mortgage rates low, and side by side with our programme for three million more houses, enable thousands more young people to afford to buy a home of their own for the first time," Mr Brown will say. "And with our programme for three million more houses, many of them in eco towns, we will enable thousands more young people to afford to buy a home of their own."
He will also highlight plans for welfare reform, ensuring "that all who can work must work". Climate change
And he will confirm plans for issuing compulsory ID cards to foreign nationals next year. He also responded to calls from his own backbenchers to legislate for equal rights for agency workers and said Labour would honour its 2005 election promise of "stopping good employers being undercut by the bad".
'Difficult' On the environment he hailed Labour's plans for legally binding emissions targets and pledged to "lead the world by example in triumphing over climate change".
He also emphasised his commitment to security - although an expected passage confirming the issuing of ID cards to foreign nationals next year was not included in the final version of the text.
Cabinet Office Minister Ed Miliband earlier acknowledged the government had been through a difficult period but insisted that Labour could go on to win a fourth general election.Cabinet Office Minister Ed Miliband earlier acknowledged the government had been through a difficult period but insisted that Labour could go on to win a fourth general election.
"Undoubtedly we have had a difficult six months with some of the events that have happened," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. Labour is expected to face a tough fight at May's elections, when it will be contesting elections for about 160 councils in England and all Welsh councils.
"But I think that in the end people judge prime ministers and governments on the big substantive issues, on whether they make the right long term decisions for the country. It also faces a crucial test in London, where Ken Livingstone is running for a third term as mayor.
"We are trying to do something quite difficult which is to win a fourth term in office and the way we are going to do that is ... by saying this is our philosophy, this is where we are going to take the country, and this is what we believe in.
"I think that if we do those things we can indeed win a fourth election."