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Version 0 | Version 1 |
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Brown prepares for crucial speech | Brown prepares for crucial speech |
(10 minutes later) | |
Gordon Brown is due to seek to reassert his authority over Labour in his speech at the party conference. | Gordon Brown is due to seek to reassert his authority over Labour in his speech at the party conference. |
He will use the keynote address to stress his commitment to fairness - unveiling a plan to give free internet access to poor children. | He will use the keynote address to stress his commitment to fairness - unveiling a plan to give free internet access to poor children. |
But the speech could be overshadowed by revelations about David Miliband. | But the speech could be overshadowed by revelations about David Miliband. |
The foreign secretary was overheard telling an aide that he wanted to avoid a "Heseltine moment" in his own conference speech. | |
Mr Miliband's staff told him that his speech was being given six marks out of 10. | Mr Miliband's staff told him that his speech was being given six marks out of 10. |
He said: "I couldn't have gone any further. It would have been a Heseltine moment." | He said: "I couldn't have gone any further. It would have been a Heseltine moment." |
His aide replied: "No, you are right. You went as far as you could. That was what the party needed to hear." | His aide replied: "No, you are right. You went as far as you could. That was what the party needed to hear." |
Mr Miliband was apparently referring to one of the occasions when Michael Heseltine challenged the leadership of Margaret Thatcher. | Mr Miliband was apparently referring to one of the occasions when Michael Heseltine challenged the leadership of Margaret Thatcher. |
Unity call | Unity call |
During his speech, Mr Miliband praised Gordon Brown twice, but for past achievements, and spoke of the need for "leadership from the party of change". | During his speech, Mr Miliband praised Gordon Brown twice, but for past achievements, and spoke of the need for "leadership from the party of change". |
Mr Miliband - who has been repeatedly tipped to be preparing a leadership bid - has gone out of his way to call for Labour to unite behind Mr Brown from the conference platform and at fringe meetings, denying that he wanted to see a leadership contest. | Mr Miliband - who has been repeatedly tipped to be preparing a leadership bid - has gone out of his way to call for Labour to unite behind Mr Brown from the conference platform and at fringe meetings, denying that he wanted to see a leadership contest. |
In a speech to conference on Monday, he urged the party to be optimistic, saying the Tories were "beatable". | In a speech to conference on Monday, he urged the party to be optimistic, saying the Tories were "beatable". |
Mr Brown is under pressure to give the speech of his life when he addresses the conference after lunch on Tuesday. | Mr Brown is under pressure to give the speech of his life when he addresses the conference after lunch on Tuesday. |
He is expected to deliver a bullish, upbeat speech - with little of the confessional tone some were predicting. | He is expected to deliver a bullish, upbeat speech - with little of the confessional tone some were predicting. |
And he will speak with notes - eschewing the trend for leaders to wander the conference stage reading from autocues. | And he will speak with notes - eschewing the trend for leaders to wander the conference stage reading from autocues. |
He will admit to mistakes on the abolition of the 10p tax rate but aides say he will be unapologetic about his personality and image. | He will admit to mistakes on the abolition of the 10p tax rate but aides say he will be unapologetic about his personality and image. |
He is likely to repeat his claim that he is the best person to lead Britain through troubled economic times. | He is likely to repeat his claim that he is the best person to lead Britain through troubled economic times. |
Policy announcement | Policy announcement |
Aides were briefing that he had been delayed in writing his speech by transatlantic phone calls about the implications for British jobs and investment over the restructuring of Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley. | Aides were briefing that he had been delayed in writing his speech by transatlantic phone calls about the implications for British jobs and investment over the restructuring of Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley. |
The major policy announcement in the speech is expected to be a £300m plan to offer free computer access to children from low income families to boost their chances in the jobs market. | The major policy announcement in the speech is expected to be a £300m plan to offer free computer access to children from low income families to boost their chances in the jobs market. |
The voucher system - to be administered by local councils - is part of the government's efforts to deal with the remaining unfairness in the UK, aides said. | The voucher system - to be administered by local councils - is part of the government's efforts to deal with the remaining unfairness in the UK, aides said. |
A succession of cabinet ministers and delegates at the conference have called for unity, after a week in which 13 Labour MPs - one of them a minister - called for a leadership contest. | A succession of cabinet ministers and delegates at the conference have called for unity, after a week in which 13 Labour MPs - one of them a minister - called for a leadership contest. |
Earlier, former home secretary Charles Clarke, who has called for Mr Brown to improve his performance or quit, was warned by former Labour leader Neil Kinnock to drop his "tragic" campaign, saying it would lead to "appalling division". | Earlier, former home secretary Charles Clarke, who has called for Mr Brown to improve his performance or quit, was warned by former Labour leader Neil Kinnock to drop his "tragic" campaign, saying it would lead to "appalling division". |
Labour backbencher Dr Ian Gibson told the BBC earlier in the week that, while the time was not right for a leadership challenge, everything depended on Tuesday's speech. | Labour backbencher Dr Ian Gibson told the BBC earlier in the week that, while the time was not right for a leadership challenge, everything depended on Tuesday's speech. |
"If he doesn't pick it up and get the support of the public, the activists, then it could be curtains for him. I think he knows that and we will have to see by 4pm on Tuesday how it turns out," he said. | "If he doesn't pick it up and get the support of the public, the activists, then it could be curtains for him. I think he knows that and we will have to see by 4pm on Tuesday how it turns out," he said. |