Tony Blair is today expected to make a promise to see through the next phase of radical New Labour reforms before standing down as Prime Minister.

He is to stamp on suggestions that he would make an early exit from Downing Street and set out his vision for a new round of modernisation which will be more New Labour than ever.

The Prime Minister's speech stresses that the Cabinet is united in driving through bold reforms in education, health, transport and law and order, after Gordon Brown yesterday offered a ringing endorsement of New Labour values.

"The Prime Minister will set out the challenges facing Britain and the policy programme needed to respond to them," his official spokesman said last nigh.

"He will make clear that the solution to the challenges lies not in less New Labour but more New Labour.

"He is committing himself to a programme of work that he wants to see through."

The next wave of public service reforms must be bold, radical and successful to secure Labour in power for years to come, he is to tell delegates.

The Labour Party had to modernise to get elected in 1997, Mr Blair will argue, and must modernise again to meet the demands of a changing world.

He will say: "Unless we own the future, unless our values are matched by a completely honest understanding of the reality now upon us, and the next reality about to hit us, we will fail.'

The speech follows the Chancellor's address to delegates yesterday in which he staked his claim to the Premiership when Mr Blair steps down, as he has promised to do before the next General Election.

Mr Brown also committed himself to the New Labour brand, angering left-wingers and unionists by rejecting their calls for a return to a traditional old Labour agenda.

The Chancellor said: "When the Tories tell you the next election will be old Labour versus new Conservatives, tell them the truth.

"The next election must and will be New Labour renewed against a Conservative Party still incapable of renewal."

In previous conference speeches, the Chancellor has snubbed the New Labour brand and set out his differences with Mr Blair to appeal to the party's left-wing.

But yesterday, having been backed for the Labour leadership by a host of Blairite ministers in recent days, Mr Brown embraced New Labour and praised the Prime Minister.

He said: "Let me say to the conference, I believe Tony Blair deserves huge credit not just for winning three elections but for leading the Labour Party for more than a decade.

"And in the same way he deserves credit for leading us through these difficult and challenging years, he also deserves credit for now asking us and challenging us as a party to begin to plan ahead."

Tuesday, September 27, 2005