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| Blair prepares for Labour finale | |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Tony Blair is to give his final speech as prime minister to Labour's annual conference with a plea for the party to focus on a fourth election victory. | Tony Blair is to give his final speech as prime minister to Labour's annual conference with a plea for the party to focus on a fourth election victory. |
| He will ask delegates to concentrate on the need for renewal in power and warn against internal squabbling. | He will ask delegates to concentrate on the need for renewal in power and warn against internal squabbling. |
| He is unlikely to offer hints on his retirement date or possible successor. | He is unlikely to offer hints on his retirement date or possible successor. |
| But the speech comes against the background of a row over remarks allegedly made by his wife, Cherie, about Gordon Brown during his speech. | But the speech comes against the background of a row over remarks allegedly made by his wife, Cherie, about Gordon Brown during his speech. |
| Mrs Blair is alleged to have declared "that's a lie" as Mr Brown said it had been a privilege to work with the prime minister. She has denied the claim. | Mrs Blair is alleged to have declared "that's a lie" as Mr Brown said it had been a privilege to work with the prime minister. She has denied the claim. |
| The story has dominated media coverage of the conference. | |
| BBC News website political correspondent Nick Assinder said it threatened to undermine the carefully-constructed show of unity between the two men. | |
| It has been a privilege for me to work with and for the most successful ever Labour leader and Labour prime minister. Gordon Brown Brown sets out vision Chancellor's speech in full Papers mull Brown speech | |
| It has raised fears that the rival leadership camps will re-engage in the bitter warfare over the succession - precisely what both Mr Blair and Mr Brown have been attempting to avoid, said our correspondent. | It has raised fears that the rival leadership camps will re-engage in the bitter warfare over the succession - precisely what both Mr Blair and Mr Brown have been attempting to avoid, said our correspondent. |
| But Sedgefield Constituency Labour Party chairman John Burton, Mr Blair's agent and close friend, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the prime minister and Mr Brown had been the "architects of New Labour" together. | |
| Mr Brown and Mr Blair's relationship had occasionally been "strained", but Mr Brown would make an excellent leader, Mr Burton told Today. | |
| Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly also told BBC News Mr Blair and Mr Brown had "forged New Labour" together "based on shared values" and "the courage of their convictions", and the chancellor would make "an excellent leader of the Labour Party and an excellent prime minister". | |
| LABOUR WEEK AHEAD TUESDAY: Blair's keynote speech. Also taking to the platform are Margaret Beckett and Ruth KellyWEDNESDAY: Alan Johnson, David Miliband, Patricia Hewitt all take to the platform and Bill Clinton is the guest speakerTHURSDAY: John Reid, Peter Hain and John Prescott all take to the stage Conference: At-a-glance | |
| But delegates would react to Mr Blair's final speech as that of the most successful Labour prime minister ever. | |
| In his conference speech on Monday, Mr Brown paid tribute to Mr Blair but admitted they had differed at times. | In his conference speech on Monday, Mr Brown paid tribute to Mr Blair but admitted they had differed at times. |
| The chancellor said he had the experience and right values to succeed him and said he would relish the chance to take on David Cameron's Conservatives. | The chancellor said he had the experience and right values to succeed him and said he would relish the chance to take on David Cameron's Conservatives. |
| Mr Blair's officials say although it is likely to be a "highly emotional occasion", Tuesday's speech will not be a "big farewell" as, instead, he will focus on what he believes is needed for Labour to win a fourth term in office. | Mr Blair's officials say although it is likely to be a "highly emotional occasion", Tuesday's speech will not be a "big farewell" as, instead, he will focus on what he believes is needed for Labour to win a fourth term in office. |
| Mr Blair is expected to tell delegates that the overwhelming task facing the party is to renew itself in power and develop a new manifesto for continuing New Labour reform for the decade ahead. | Mr Blair is expected to tell delegates that the overwhelming task facing the party is to renew itself in power and develop a new manifesto for continuing New Labour reform for the decade ahead. |
| He will focus on the challenges posed by globalisation, migration, international terrorism and law and order. | He will focus on the challenges posed by globalisation, migration, international terrorism and law and order. |
| Mr Brown paid tribute to the PM but admitted they had differed at times | |
| And he will call for continuing reform of the health service and education. | And he will call for continuing reform of the health service and education. |
| Mr Blair is due to tell the conference: "We defied conventional political wisdom and so changed it - aspiration and compassion reconciled, economic efficiency and social justice seen not as sworn enemies but natural friends and partners in progress. This defined New Labour." | Mr Blair is due to tell the conference: "We defied conventional political wisdom and so changed it - aspiration and compassion reconciled, economic efficiency and social justice seen not as sworn enemies but natural friends and partners in progress. This defined New Labour." |
| He will go on to argue that the party now needs to "have the courage to be fearless in pursuit of the right answers - listening and learning beyond our party ranks in order to lead". | He will go on to argue that the party now needs to "have the courage to be fearless in pursuit of the right answers - listening and learning beyond our party ranks in order to lead". |
| The prime minister will say the core vote of the party is not the heartlands, the inner city or sectional interests, but "the country". | The prime minister will say the core vote of the party is not the heartlands, the inner city or sectional interests, but "the country". |
| He will say the challenges of the next decade will demand more not less New Labour, adding: "The scale of the challenges in 2007 dwarf what we faced in 1997 - they are different, deeper and bigger." | He will say the challenges of the next decade will demand more not less New Labour, adding: "The scale of the challenges in 2007 dwarf what we faced in 1997 - they are different, deeper and bigger." |
| Mr Blair is also expected to warn that, after virtually a decade in power, the Labour government's big task will be to refresh its appeal to voters. | Mr Blair is also expected to warn that, after virtually a decade in power, the Labour government's big task will be to refresh its appeal to voters. |
| What is needed is to go back to the fundamental issues facing the country and the world and to come up with coherent, sensibly worked out answers that will chime with the public, he will say. | What is needed is to go back to the fundamental issues facing the country and the world and to come up with coherent, sensibly worked out answers that will chime with the public, he will say. |
| The "route map" to success should be based on what he will claim are the four cornerstones of New Labour - making voters' needs and wishes its own, combining compassion and aspiration, having the courage to take the tough decisions and never confusing ends with means. | The "route map" to success should be based on what he will claim are the four cornerstones of New Labour - making voters' needs and wishes its own, combining compassion and aspiration, having the courage to take the tough decisions and never confusing ends with means. |
| Mr Blair faced protests during his TUC conference speech a fortnight ago, but he is expected to be given a hero's send off by Labour delegates. | Mr Blair faced protests during his TUC conference speech a fortnight ago, but he is expected to be given a hero's send off by Labour delegates. |