Chancellor Gordon Brown staked his claim to be Britain's next prime minister today by saying Labour must adapt to confront the challenges of the next decade.
Brown speaking at the Labour Party conference in Manchester
But he insisted there would be no retreat from Tony Blair's reform agenda, as he addressed delegates at Labour's Manchester conference.
In his most direct appeal yet to succeed the Premier, the Chancellor told delegates he would "relish the chance to take on David Cameron and the Conservative Party."
And seeking to smooth over weeks of Labour infighting, he promised: "In that endeavour I would be determined to draw on all the talents of our party and the country."
The Chancellor made his bid for the party crown watched by Mr Blair and under intense pressure to woo both the party faithful and the voting public.
He tackled head on his stormy relationship with the Premier, saying: "It has been a privilege for me to work with the most successful ever Labour leader and Prime Minister.
"In the time we've been MPs, working together for more than 23 years, I believe that we have real achievements together.
"But it's hardly surprising that as in any relationship there have been times when we have differed. "And where over these years, differences have distracted from what matters I regret that as I know Tony does too."
Mr Blair, who delivers his farewell speech to the conference tomorrow, has angered many Labour members with his backing for the US-led war on Iraq, his policies in the Middle East and his pro-market reforms of public services.
Mr Blair was forced to concede that he would step down within a year after a group of Labour legislators demanded he quit.
A poll in the Daily Telegraphtoday found that just 27 per cent of people surveyed felt Mr Brown would be a good replacement for Mr Blair, compared with 36 per cent earlier in the year. The proportion of those who thought he would fail in the job rose to 44 per cent from 33 per cent.
David Cameron, leader of the Conservatives had a five-point lead over Mr Brown as "the best prime minister", the Yougov survey found, and Mr Blair was also ahead of him.
A second poll in the Financial Timessaid voter apathy was another problem for Mr Brown. More than one in two of those surveyed - and 46 per cent of Labour voters - answered with "don't know" when asked who should fill Mr Blair's shoes.