BRITAIN: In his speech yesterday, Tony Blair made the case for a third term as British Prime Minister - and his decision to go to war in Iraq. This is an edited extract of his speech.
"It's my privilege to be the first Labour leader in 100 years to speak to our conference six and half years into Government. We've never been here before. We've never come this far. Never governed for so long. Now with the prospect of a full third term. But it's a testing time. I now look my age. You feel yours.
"I've had plenty of advice over what I should say in this speech. Some of it I have even asked for.
"One suggestion was leading you all in chorus of Always look on the bright side of life. So what do we do? Give up on it? Or get on with it? That's the question."
Mr Blair then outlined what he said were New Labour's achievements in health and education and other public services. "So why is it so tough? Government's tough! Fulfilling, but tough. Opposition was easy. All our MPs had to do was to go back to their constituencies and blame it on the Government. Some of them still do.
"May 1997 was a unique moment. An abundance of expectation surrounded our arrival. A sense of hope beyond ordinary imagining. The people felt it. We felt it. Instead of reining in the expectation, we gave it free rein. It was natural, but born of inexperience. We thought change was a matter of will. Have the right programme, spend the right money and the job is done.
"But experience has taught us: the job is never done...
"Iraq has divided the international community. It has divided the party, the country, families, friends. I know many people are disappointed, hurt, angry. I know many profoundly believe the action we took was wrong.
"I do not at all disrespect anyone who disagrees with me. I ask just one thing: attack my decision but at least understand why I took it and why I would take the same decision again.
"Imagine you are PM. And you receive this intelligence. And not just about Iraq. But about the whole murky trade in WMD. And one thing we know. Not from intelligence. But from historical fact. That Saddam's regime has not just developed but used such weapons, gassing thousands of his own people. And has lied about it consistently, concealing it for years even under the noses of the UN Inspectors.
"And I see the terrorism and the trade in WMD growing. And I look at Saddam's country and I see its people in torment, ground underfoot by his and his sons' brutality and wickedness.
"So what do I do? Say 'I've got the intelligence but I've a hunch it's wrong?' Leave Saddam in place but now with the world's democracies humiliated and him emboldened? You see, I believe the security threat of the 21st century is not countries waging conventional war. I believe that in today's interdependent world the threat is chaos. It is fanaticism defeating reason. Suppose the terrorists repeated September 11th or worse. Suppose they got hold of a chemical or biological or nuclear dirty bomb; and if they could, they would. What then? And if it is the threat of the 21st century, Britain should be in there helping confront it, not because we are America's poodle, but because dealing with it will make Britain safer...
"And why do I stay fighting to keep in there with America on the one hand and Europe on the other? Because I know terrorism can't be defeated unless America and Europe work together. And it's not so much American unilateralism I fear. It's isolation. It's walking away when we need America there engaged."
Mr Blair then spoke about Labour's staying power in government.
"People ask me if I am surprised that things have got so tough. I say I am surprised it has taken so long. Why? I've been trying to say this to you for the best part of 10 years but never quite found the words. But now I've hit the rough patch, it's time to try again.
"Up to now there has been a ritual to Labour Governments. Euphoria on victory. Hard slog in Government. Tough times. Party accuses leadership of betrayal. Leadership accuses Party of ingratitude. Disillusion. Defeat. Long period of Tory Government before next outbreak of euphoria. We've been far better at defeating ourselves than the Tories have ever been...
"From the outset, our opponents hated and feared us. They believe the Tories have a divine right to rule Britain and we are usurpers. They look at their own party and feel contempt. And they hate us even more because they think we're responsible.
"And in a sense we are. By occupying the centre ground, by modernising, by reaching out beyond our activists, we helped turn the Tories into a replica of what we used to be. A narrow base. Obsessed about the wrong things. Old-fashioned. In retreat... New Labour for me was never a departure from belief. It is my belief.
"The just society in which each person is a full and equal citizen of our land, irrespective of birth, class, wealth, race or sex. Where through solidarity we build a society in which collective strength compensates for individual weakness.
"Where privilege cannot just be handed down from generation to generation, but success has to be earned on merit. Where self-respect and respect for others is the hallmark of our communities and where the fight against poverty and oppression is Britain's mission in the wider world. These are my values and yours. They are the key. But the door they must unlock is the door to the future...
"Yes, this is a testing time. But it is a test not just of belief, but of character. And the time is for renewal, not retreat."
The full text of Mr Blair's speech may be read on The Irish Times website, ireland.com