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It's hard to let go, admits Blair | It's hard to let go, admits Blair |
(10 minutes later) | |
Tony Blair admitted leaving No 10 will be difficult as he used his last Labour conference speech as leader to urge the party to unite and win a fourth term. | |
He told an emotional Labour gathering: "It is hard to let go. But it is right ... for the country and the party". | |
Winning the next election was the only legacy he had ever wanted, he said. | Winning the next election was the only legacy he had ever wanted, he said. |
He praised Gordon Brown and laughed off his wife's alleged criticism: "At least I don't have to worry about her running off with the bloke next door." | He praised Gordon Brown and laughed off his wife's alleged criticism: "At least I don't have to worry about her running off with the bloke next door." |
Brown's disappointment | Brown's disappointment |
Mr Brown offered an olive branch to Mr Blair in his conference speech on Monday when he said it had been a privilege to serve under his premiership. | Mr Brown offered an olive branch to Mr Blair in his conference speech on Monday when he said it had been a privilege to serve under his premiership. |
But that carefully-crafted attempt at reconciliation was marred by reports that Cherie Blair had called the comment a lie - something she has denied. | But that carefully-crafted attempt at reconciliation was marred by reports that Cherie Blair had called the comment a lie - something she has denied. |
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 | 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 |
Mr Blair's speech came after ex-minister Peter Mandelson said Gordon Brown had never reconciled himself to Mr Blair being leader instead of him. | |
Mr Blair, who received a standing ovation as he arrived on the stage, said: "The truth is you can't go on forever, that's why it is right that this is my last conference as leader... | |
"Over the coming months, I will take through the changes I have worked on so hard these past years. | "Over the coming months, I will take through the changes I have worked on so hard these past years. |
"And I will help build a unified party with a strong platform for the only legacy that has ever mattered to me - a fourth term election victory that allows us to keep changing Britain for the better. | |
"And I want to heal. There has been a lot of talk of lies and truths these past few weeks." | |
Praise for Brown | |
As Mr Brown did in his speech, Mr Blair admitted there had been difficulties in their relationship. | |
"But I know New Labour would never have happened and three election victories would never have been secured without Gordon Brown," he said. | |
"He is a remarkable man, a remarkable servant to this country - and that is the truth." | |
With the Conservatives ahead in the opinion polls, Mr Blair urged people to remember there were three years until the next election. | |
"There are no third-term popular governments," he said. "Don't ignore the polls but don't be paralysed by them either." | |
He pressed his party to "get after" David Cameron and he rejected the old claims that he was a "closet Tory" himself. | |
"They say I hate the party and its traditions," he said. "I don't. I love this party. There's only one tradition I hated: losing." | |
'Terrorism message' | |
Mr Blair used the speech to trumpet the achievements of his government in raising standards in education, health and cutting crime. | |
And he gave a robust defeat of his under-fire foreign policy. | |
He warned that the terrorism threat facing the UK would last for "a generation and more". | |
"This terrorism is not our fault, we didn't cause it," he said. "It's not the consequence of foreign policy, it's an attack on our way of life." | |
The prime minister promised to dedicate himself from now until he stepped down to advancing peace between Israel and Palestine. | |
"I may not succeed, but I will try because peace in the Middle East is a defeat for terrorism." | |
Mr Blair offered his party advice for the next election from his "hot seat". | |
Labour had to meet the challenge of global changes, reconciling openness with security. | |
"The danger in all this, for us, is not ditching New Labour," he said. "The danger is failing to understand that New Labour in 2007 won't be New Labour in 1997." | |
He stressed the need for continued reforms to ensure public services kept up with people's rising expectations. | |
You can watch Tony Blair's speech live and on demand on the BBC News website. | You can watch Tony Blair's speech live and on demand on the BBC News website. |