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 6 Version 7
Blair may stay until next summer Blair may stay until next summer
(30 minutes later)
Tony Blair is likely to stay as prime minister longer than some had expected, Education Secretary Alan Johnson said.Tony Blair is likely to stay as prime minister longer than some had expected, Education Secretary Alan Johnson said.
Buoyed by Mr Blair's final conference speech as leader, his supporters want him to stay until next summer.Buoyed by Mr Blair's final conference speech as leader, his supporters want him to stay until next summer.
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.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.
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".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-glanceLABOUR 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.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.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.""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."
Clinton speechClinton speech
Mr Johnson, one of the possible contenders to succeed Mr Blair, is speaking at the conference now. Mr Johnson, one of the possible contenders to succeed Mr Blair, told the conference he wanted to improve the experience of children in care saying the state too often showed a "chill indifference".
The conference has already heard from poverty campaigner Bob Geldof, who called for more aid funding in next year's comprehensive spending review. "Instead of bringing them up, we let them down," he said.
Ex-US President Bill Clinton paid glowing tributes to Mr Blair and Mr Brown during a speech to conference which also warned that Labour's biggest problem was that people would take their achievements for granted. Mr Johnson promised to unveil plans next month to get in-care children into the best schools and put an extra £100 into their child trust funds for their future.
He also confirmed there would be no more coursework for GCSE maths and in other subjects it would be supervised to ensure people did not copy off the internet.
Reforms under-fireReforms under-fire
But it has not all been plain sailing, with the Labour leadership losing a vote when delegates backed a motion demanding the government provides more money for council houses "as a matter of urgency". Earlier, the conference heard from poverty campaigner Bob Geldof, who called for more aid funding in next year's comprehensive spending review.
And the party hierarchy faced heckling and angry shouts from the audience in a debate trade unions are confident will conclude with another defeat, this time over NHS reforms. Ex-US President Bill Clinton paid glowing tributes to Mr Blair and Mr Brown during a speech to conference which also warned that Labour's biggest problem was that people would take their achievements for granted.
But it has not all been plain sailing with the Labour leadership losing a vote when delegates backed a motion demanding the government provides more money for council houses "as a matter of urgency".
And the party hierarchy suffered a second defeat over a motion criticising health reforms.
During that debate Dave Prentis, leader of public service union Unison, accused the government of pursing a gratuitous privatisation agenda "driven by dogma".During that debate Dave Prentis, leader of public service union Unison, accused the government of pursing a gratuitous privatisation agenda "driven by dogma".
He applauded Labour's extra investment in health but said there had been a dangerous change in direction which left the NHS "threatened as never before".He applauded Labour's extra investment in health but said there had been a dangerous change in direction which left the NHS "threatened as never before".
Mr Prentis urged delegates: "Set the clear red line between us and the Tories: this is their agenda, not ours."Mr Prentis urged delegates: "Set the clear red line between us and the Tories: this is their agenda, not ours."
There was angry heckling when the conference chairman turned off Mr Prentis' microphone, saying he had been warned he had gone over his alloted time. There was angry heckling when the conference chairman turned off Mr Prentis' microphone, saying he had been warned he had gone over his allotted time.
But other delegates argued that Labour should not be afraid of changes which put patients first. Market limits
Although the defeats are an embarrassing sign of the mood within the party at the policy, the votes do not actually mean the policy has to change.
But Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt said the reforms were putting the patients centre stage.
She insisted she could not turn her back on £1bn of savings from the controversial sell-off of NHS Logistics when the money would be reinvested in the NHS.
"After 60 years when the NHS has always used different providers it would be just as wrong to say no private involvement in the NHS as it would be to say only private involvement," she argued.
"Of course there are limits to the role of the markets in the NHS."