This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk_politics/5383408.stm

The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Blair 'won't be back-seat driver' Blair may stay until next summer
(about 5 hours later)
Ex-Downing St media chief Alastair Campbell insists Tony Blair will not be a "back-seat driver" after the PM gave his last conference speech as leader. Tony Blair is likely to stay as prime minister longer than some had expected, Education Secretary Alan Johnson said.
"He knows that when he goes, he goes," Mr Campbell told BBC Newsnight, and praised his former boss's sucesses. Buoyed by Mr Blair's final conference speech as leader, his supporters want him to stay until next summer.
Mr Blair will now try to stave off a defeat to his health policies as trade unions try to persuade Labour delegates to back their criticisms. Mr Blair has said he will quit within a year, but there had been calls for him to go by next May at the latest.
The conference will also hear from former US President Bill Clinton. Mr Johnson said the fact Mr Blair said he would focus on Middle East troubles before stepping down "suggests he's not thinking about a couple of weeks".
LABOUR WEEK AHEAD WEDNESDAY: 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 Blair rejects blame for terror Conference: At-a-glance
And he agreed, during an interview on BBC Radio 4's Today, with the suggestion that Mr Blair would stay on longer than many had expected at the start of the party conference in Manchester.
He said: "If the prime minister says: 'I want to use the rest of my time to try to resolve the Middle East problem in the same way we tried to tackle the Northern Ireland problem', I think it suggests he's not thinking about a couple of weeks. It's a big problem.
"But I really think people now are saying: 'Tony, the date you step down is a matter for you and it would be crazy to name a date."
Mr Johnson, one of the possible contenders to succeed Mr Blair, will speak at the conference on Wednesday, as will ex-President Bill Clinton and poverty campaigner Bob Geldof.
Mr Clinton wowed the Labour delegates four years ago but is not expected to deliver a big set-piece speech this time.Mr Clinton wowed the Labour delegates four years ago but is not expected to deliver a big set-piece speech this time.
Campaigner Bob Geldof will also be on the platform as the conference debates tackling world poverty. In the short term, the tensions within the Labour Party are set to once again come into focus, as Mr Blair faces a possible defeat over NHS reforms.
And one of the possible contenders to succeed Mr Blair, Education Secretary Alan Johnson, will be speaking. Unions hope to get backing on Wednesday afternoon for a motion criticising policy - as striking NHS workers lobby the conference.
Mr Johnson will be talking about improving the life chances of children in care - an important subject for him as he was brought up for part of his childhood by his sister.
Electoral successElectoral success
But aides say Mr Johnson, a former trade union leader, will not mention the leadership. BBC political editor Nick Robinson said Mr Blair's aides were little short of euphoric at the reception for Mr Blair on Wednesday.
Mr Campbell said Mr Blair would not be a "back-seat driver" like Margaret Thatcher had been to John Major. The prime minister won a lengthy standing ovation on Tuesday as he told an emotional Labour gathering: "You're the future now, make the most of it."
LABOUR WEEK AHEAD WEDNESDAY: 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 href="/1/hi/uk_politics/5382454.stm" class="">Blair rejects blame for terror href="/1/hi/uk_politics/5380082.stm" class="">Conference: At-a-glance The prime minister said in his speech on Tuesday that "it is hard to let go" but insisted a fourth Labour election victory was all he wanted as his legacy.
"New Labour was not some sort of temporary aberration that was put in place to win an election in 1997, it was a changed politics, it was a changed Labour party, offering an alternative vision of politics to the country and has been very successful electorally and can continue to be so," Mr Campbell said. Today, Tony Blair made it easy for his party to move on BBC political editor Nick Robinson href="http://blogs.bbc.co.uk/nickrobinson/2006/09/quite_surreal.html" class="">Read Nick's thoughts in full href="/1/hi/uk_politics/5382430.stm" class="">Key quotes: Blair speech
"I don't think Tony's going to be one of these Thatcher-type backseat drivers. Mr Blair also trumpeted the achievements of his government in raising standards in education and health and in cutting crime.
"If you're in power you've got power, you use it to the best of your ability and I think Tony's done that brilliantly. But I don't think he's sitting there thinking 'Well, what's going to happen after I go?" He knows that when he goes, he goes."
Legacy
Mr Blair won a lengthy standing ovation on Tuesday as he told an emotional Labour gathering: "You're the future now, make the most of it."
The prime minister used his speech on Tuesday to say "it is hard to let go" but a fourth Labour election victory was all he wanted as his legacy.
Mr Blair used the speech to trumpet the achievements of his government in raising standards in education and health and in cutting crime.
And he attacked the notion that British foreign policy was to blame for terrorist attacks.And he attacked the notion that British foreign policy was to blame for terrorist attacks.
Today, Tony Blair made it easy for his party to move on BBC political editor Nick Robinson Read Nick's thoughts in full
His performance is being seen as possibly his best Labour conference speech in 12 years as leader.His performance is being seen as possibly his best Labour conference speech in 12 years as leader.
Labour MP Ian Gibson, a frequent critic of Mr Blair, said: "I kept thinking: why's he going when he's still obviously got the passion."Labour MP Ian Gibson, a frequent critic of Mr Blair, said: "I kept thinking: why's he going when he's still obviously got the passion."
But Conservative Party chairman Francis Maude said: "With the NHS in crisis and crime soaring, the British people won't share Mr Blair's misty-eyed nostalgia. The time has now come for him to accept the applause and leave the stage."But Conservative Party chairman Francis Maude said: "With the NHS in crisis and crime soaring, the British people won't share Mr Blair's misty-eyed nostalgia. The time has now come for him to accept the applause and leave the stage."
Lib Dem campaigns chief Ed Davey said Mr Blair was a "lame duck" and should tell the public when he was going.Lib Dem campaigns chief Ed Davey said Mr Blair was a "lame duck" and should tell the public when he was going.
Health fearsHealth fears
Mr Blair stressed the need for continued reform of public services to keep up with rising public expectations.Mr Blair stressed the need for continued reform of public services to keep up with rising public expectations.
But the trade unions are confident they can defeat the leadership over a motion criticising key planks of that reform agenda. But the trade unions are confident they can defeat the leadership on Wednesday with a motion criticising key planks of that reform agenda.
The motion, tabled by public service union Unison, says "immense damage" is being done to some local NHS services despite the extra investment of recent years.The motion, tabled by public service union Unison, says "immense damage" is being done to some local NHS services despite the extra investment of recent years.
It blames cash deficits and the "breakneck speed of change" and pressed the government to "rethink the headlong rush to a competitive system".It blames cash deficits and the "breakneck speed of change" and pressed the government to "rethink the headlong rush to a competitive system".