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Brown to outline long-term vision | Brown to outline long-term vision |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Chancellor Gordon Brown is set to outline his long-term vision as a potential prime minister when he addresses the Labour Party conference. | Chancellor Gordon Brown is set to outline his long-term vision as a potential prime minister when he addresses the Labour Party conference. |
Mr Brown will use his speech to present himself as the centre-ground reform candidate to take on the New Labour mantle from Tony Blair. | Mr Brown will use his speech to present himself as the centre-ground reform candidate to take on the New Labour mantle from Tony Blair. |
But both he and the prime minister have urged the party to focus on policy rather than the leadership issue. | But both he and the prime minister have urged the party to focus on policy rather than the leadership issue. |
In his speech, Mr Brown will call for the NHS to be made more independent. | In his speech, Mr Brown will call for the NHS to be made more independent. |
LABOUR WEEK AHEAD MONDAY: Brown's keynote speech. Also taking to the platform are Alistair Darling and John HuttonTUESDAY: Blair's keynote speech. Also taking to the platform are Margaret Beckett and Ruth Kelly.WEDNESDAY: Alan Johnson, David Miliband, Patricia Hewitt all take to the platformTHURSDAY: John Reid, Peter Hain and John Prescott all take to the stage. Agenda: day-by-day | LABOUR WEEK AHEAD MONDAY: Brown's keynote speech. Also taking to the platform are Alistair Darling and John HuttonTUESDAY: Blair's keynote speech. Also taking to the platform are Margaret Beckett and Ruth Kelly.WEDNESDAY: Alan Johnson, David Miliband, Patricia Hewitt all take to the platformTHURSDAY: John Reid, Peter Hain and John Prescott all take to the stage. Agenda: day-by-day |
Mr Brown is expected to put devolution of power, away from government to individuals and local institutions, at the top of his agenda. | |
He is expected to deliver another show of loyalty to Mr Blair, praising his record and spelling out how he has transformed Britain. | |
On Sunday, Mr Blair admitted that the last few weeks had been damaging to Labour. | On Sunday, Mr Blair admitted that the last few weeks had been damaging to Labour. |
He said: "For the first time since I became leader, the Labour Party went AWOL (absent without leave) from the British public, it looked in on itself, it started all the in-fighting and the rest of it." | He said: "For the first time since I became leader, the Labour Party went AWOL (absent without leave) from the British public, it looked in on itself, it started all the in-fighting and the rest of it." |
Meanwhile, Charles Clarke, the former Home Secretary, has expressed regret over his public criticisms of Mr Brown, in a further sign of attempts by Labour to put forward a united front. | Meanwhile, Charles Clarke, the former Home Secretary, has expressed regret over his public criticisms of Mr Brown, in a further sign of attempts by Labour to put forward a united front. |
Mandelson | |
Mr Clarke had accused the chancellor, in a newspaper interview, of "absolutely stupid behaviour" during the row over Mr Blair's leadership. | Mr Clarke had accused the chancellor, in a newspaper interview, of "absolutely stupid behaviour" during the row over Mr Blair's leadership. |
He said on Sunday: "People behaved, including myself, in ways that were probably not in the best and most advised ways." | |
Peter Mandelson, the EU commissioner and former Cabinet minister who is one of Mr Blair's closest Labour allies, has also weighed into the leadership debate. | |
Mr Mandelson said some union general secretaries and presidents would see the coming of a leadership election - where the unions have a third of the votes - as an opportunity to regain their former role in the party. | Mr Mandelson said some union general secretaries and presidents would see the coming of a leadership election - where the unions have a third of the votes - as an opportunity to regain their former role in the party. |
"They feel they have been shut out of the party but that was their choice to reject New Labour," he said. | "They feel they have been shut out of the party but that was their choice to reject New Labour," he said. |
Mr Blair said earlier this month this would be his last annual Labour conference as leader - an announcement which came during a period of in-fighting over his departure date. | Mr Blair said earlier this month this would be his last annual Labour conference as leader - an announcement which came during a period of in-fighting over his departure date. |