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Blair calls for halt to sniping Blair calls for halt to sniping
(30 minutes later)
Labour must focus on policy and not infighting over its leadership to win the next election, Prime Minister Tony Blair has warned.Labour must focus on policy and not infighting over its leadership to win the next election, Prime Minister Tony Blair has warned.
In his first public speech since saying he would step down within the year, he said Labour was "ideologically united" despite the "spasm" of the last week.In his first public speech since saying he would step down within the year, he said Labour was "ideologically united" despite the "spasm" of the last week.
The comments come as former home secretary Charles Clarke criticised the PM's likely successor Gordon Brown.The comments come as former home secretary Charles Clarke criticised the PM's likely successor Gordon Brown.
Mr Blair said attacks within the party "turns the public off".Mr Blair said attacks within the party "turns the public off".
'Personal attacks'
He was making the keynote speech at the 10th anniversary conference of the Progress Organisation, in central London.He was making the keynote speech at the 10th anniversary conference of the Progress Organisation, in central London.
He said: "We're three years away from an election and we can remake ourselves." "We're three years away from an election and we can remake ourselves," he said.
We go out, face out to the people, we succeed... We face inward - we lose Tony Blair Relaxed Blair 'on form' Hain backs Brown for PM
But Mr Blair said this could only be achieved "by behaving like we did when we were hungry for power before 1997".But Mr Blair said this could only be achieved "by behaving like we did when we were hungry for power before 1997".
He said the party then understood the country and not itself mattered. We go out, face out to the people, we succeed... We face inward - we lose Tony Blair href="/1/hi/uk_politics/5330512.stm" class="">Relaxed Blair 'on form' href="/1/hi/northern_ireland/5329906.stm" class="">Hain backs Brown for PM He said the party then understood the country and not itself mattered.
"We can either - after the kind of spasm of last week retreat into personal attacks... or we can say we are going in a mature, intelligent, and capable way to describe to the country what we've done," he said."We can either - after the kind of spasm of last week retreat into personal attacks... or we can say we are going in a mature, intelligent, and capable way to describe to the country what we've done," he said.
Mr Blair said the government needed to address "difficult issues" such as the welfare state, global warming, security and migration.Mr Blair said the government needed to address "difficult issues" such as the welfare state, global warming, security and migration.
"What the people out there want to know are the answers to their difficult questions and the challenges of their lives," he said."What the people out there want to know are the answers to their difficult questions and the challenges of their lives," he said.
"What they don't want is to see a whole lot of politicians talking to themselves. So we go out, face out to the people, we succeed. We face inward - we lose.""What they don't want is to see a whole lot of politicians talking to themselves. So we go out, face out to the people, we succeed. We face inward - we lose."
One party activist, who heard Mr Blair's speech, called on the party to stop the "squabbling". 'Control freak'
Diana Stromberg, from the Bedfordshire constituency party, said: "This has got to stop. One party activist, who heard Mr Blair's speech, called on the party to stop "squabbling".
"If I was a mother with a son coming back from Afghanistan in a body-bag (and this is happening weekly if not daily), it is an insult to have a government carrying on like this." Diana Stromberg, from the Bedfordshire constituency party, said:
The speech comes as Mr Brown was criticised by a former minister"If I was a mother with a son coming back from Afghanistan in a body-bag (and this is happening weekly if not daily), it is an insult to have a government carrying on like this."
A handful of protesters were involved in scuffles with police when Mr Blair arrived for the speech as they tried to get past barriers.A handful of protesters were involved in scuffles with police when Mr Blair arrived for the speech as they tried to get past barriers.
Three men were arrested for violent disorder and are being held at a north London station, said Scotland Yard.Three men were arrested for violent disorder and are being held at a north London station, said Scotland Yard.
'Control freak' The attempt to heal wounds within the party comes amid mounting speculation about the end of Mr Blair's tenure as prime minister.
The attempt to heal wounds within the party comes as Mr Clarke spoke out amid mounting speculation about the end of Mr Blair's tenure as prime minister.
I am saying to everybody, all my colleagues, let's concentrate on the challenges that are out there Hazel Blears, Labour Party chair
Mr Clarke launched another attack on Mr Brown on Saturday accusing him of being a "control freak" and lacking the courage to take tough decisions.Mr Clarke launched another attack on Mr Brown on Saturday accusing him of being a "control freak" and lacking the courage to take tough decisions.
"He is totally, totally uncollegiate", he told the Daily Telegraph."He is totally, totally uncollegiate", he told the Daily Telegraph.
He said he had found it difficult to work with Mr Brown on issues such as student finance and ID cards. The speech comes as Mr Brown was criticised by a former minister He said he had found it difficult to work with Mr Brown on issues such as student finance and ID cards.
"It was the control freak thing. His massive weakness is that he can't work with people.""It was the control freak thing. His massive weakness is that he can't work with people."
Mr Clarke also said the chancellor was labouring under the "delusion" he could have beaten Mr Blair for the Labour leadership if he had stood in 1994".Mr Clarke also said the chancellor was labouring under the "delusion" he could have beaten Mr Blair for the Labour leadership if he had stood in 1994".
Mr Clarke had previously been seen as a close ally of Mr Blair, but said he was "furious" to have been sacked in May and denied he was "working in league with Tony Blair or Downing Street".Mr Clarke had previously been seen as a close ally of Mr Blair, but said he was "furious" to have been sacked in May and denied he was "working in league with Tony Blair or Downing Street".
His comments came after his interview with the Evening Standard in which he accused Mr Brown of "absolutely stupid" behaviour during the furore over the leadership.His comments came after his interview with the Evening Standard in which he accused Mr Brown of "absolutely stupid" behaviour during the furore over the leadership.
Labour Party chair Hazel Blears said she did not recognise Mr Clarke's description of the chancellor.Labour Party chair Hazel Blears said she did not recognise Mr Clarke's description of the chancellor.
"I am saying to everybody, all my colleagues, let's concentrate on the challenges that are out there," she told the BBC."I am saying to everybody, all my colleagues, let's concentrate on the challenges that are out there," she told the BBC.