Blair calls on Labour to pursue reform policies

Tony Blair delivers his speech at the Labour Party Conference in Brighton. Photo: PA

Tony Blair delivers his speech at the Labour Party Conference in Brighton. Photo: PA

British Prime Minister Tony Blair told the Labour party conference today that the party must be "change makers" if it wants to secure its lasting legacy.

Mr Blair set out an extensive and detailed programme of "bold" reforms to Britain's economy and public services.

Brushing aside the concerns of some activists and union leaders about the consumer and market-orientated flavour of previous reforms, Mr Blair stressed that his prescription for the challenges facing the UK is a further dose of New Labour.

Delivering his keynote speech to Labour's annual conference in Brighton, Mr Blair insisted: "The world is on the move again; the change in the early 21st century is even greater than that of the late 20th century.

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"So now in turn, we have to change again. Not step back from New Labour but step up to a new mark a changing world is setting for us".

The Labour leader, who urged his party to renew itself in office to be fit to face future challenges, signalled further reforms to the NHS, education, transport and the economy.

And on law and order, Mr Blair again emphasised his 'respect' agenda. The scope of the programme laid out by Mr Blair is sure to be interpreted as a signal that despite continuing speculation about his future, he is not planning to quit the leadership any time soon.

Mr Blair has said that he will serve a full third term in Downing Street, before standing down ahead of the next General Election. It is also likely to be seen as an attempt to secure his personal political legacy, by putting in place reforms which will leave a lasting impression on British society.

Police and local authorities will be given sweeping summary powers to fight crime and anti-social behaviour, Mr Blair said today.

"For eight years I have battered the criminal justice system to get it to change," he said. "And it was only when we started to introduce special anti-social behaviour laws we have made a difference. "And I now understand why. The system itself is the problem.

"We are trying to fight 21st century crime - anti-social behaviour, drug dealing, organised crime - with 19th century methods, as if we still lived in the time of Dickens. "The whole of our system starts from the proposition that its duty is to protect the innocent from being wrongly convicted. "Don't misunderstand me.

That must be the duty of any criminal justice system. "But surely our primary duty should be to allow law-abiding people to live in safety. "It means a complete change of thinking. It doesn't mean abandoning human rights. It means deciding whose come first."

The summary powers will deal with drinking, drug-dealing and organised crime. Teams of local police and community officers will be put in place across the country. And head teachers will be given "the full disciplinary powers they want", he said.

Problem families will be dealt with by a single agency which will have "whatever powers it needs to affect change or impose sanctions". One day he wanted to be able to tell those in areas plagued by anti-social behaviour that they had been given the powers and resources to tackle it themselves, he added.