BRITAIN: Gordon Brown has been warned that his leadership ambitions will have to be put on hold and that Tony Blair's conference success could see him stay in Downing Street until next summer.
The prediction came from possible rival contender Alan Johnson yesterday as Mr Blair basked in praise from former US president Bill Clinton, who told conference the Blair government had been a "stunning success".
In a keynote address, Mr Clinton told Labour delegates they had to remain "the change agents" in British society and that their biggest challenge was to have their achievements and ideas taken for granted.
However, neither Mr Clinton's exhortation nor the ecstatic reception given Mr Blair's big speech on Tuesday was enough to save the Labour leadership from two conference defeats yesterday over housing plans and the privatisation of health services.
During the stormiest debate of Labour's conference week, dozens of delegates waved paper fans reading "Save our NHS" as Unison general secretary Dave Prentis claimed the national health service was "in crisis" and attacked what he called "market madness".
The union leader warned ministers they would "lose the next election" if they continued with their "arrogant approach from the top" and refused to listen.
Activists were delighted to turn the conference spotlight back on to policy issues, although the question of the leadership and the prospects of a Gordon Brown succession continued to dominate discussion off the conference floor.
At the risk of infuriating Brownites, Mr Johnson, the education secretary, claimed Mr Blair had "killed" dissent about his departure date while denying that he had effectively launched his own campaign for the leadership.
Echoing the private briefing of close Blair aides, Mr Johnson suggested Mr Blair would remain in power for some time and insisted the prime minister's speech on Tuesday had not been some sort of "farewell concert".
The possible Blairite challenger for the succession told the BBC: "Old blue eyes will be back - he's got gigs in Downing Street and the palace of Westminster, and a very important agenda that he set out [ on Tuesday] about pursuing peace in the Middle East."
Mr Johnson continued: "If the PM says, 'I want to use the rest of my time to try and resolve the Middle East problem in the same way as we tried to tackle the Northern Ireland problem', I think that suggests he's not talking about a couple of weeks - it's a big problem."
As for pressure on Mr Blair to name a date for his departure, Mr Johnson asserted: "It's dead in the sense of people seeking to push Tony into a date. He's said he will not be here and we know it's his last conference, so we know that sets out a timescale. I really think people now are saying, 'Tony, the date you set down is a matter for you.' It would be crazy to name a date."
There was backing for that view also yesterday from international development secretary Hilary Benn, a possible candidate for Labour's deputy leadership, who said: "After the frankly less than wonderful events of the last three weeks . . . the party now recognises we owe it to Tony Blair to give him time and space to go at the moment of his own choosing."
Following the failed "coup" attempt three weeks ago, Mr Brown publicly insisted the timing of his departure must be a matter for Mr Blair to decide.
However, Brown supporters will be infuriated by suggestions that an additional reason for Mr Blair to stay is to see whether opinion polls currently unfavourable to the chancellor change, while Blairite loyalists attempt to identify a credible alternative candidate. It also remains to be seen whether Mr Blair's intended long farewell can survive the momentum for debate about the party's direction as a growing list of candidates crowd the field to succeed deputy leader John Prescott.
Mr Blair's former deputy political secretary Jon Cruddas, MP for Dagenham and a tough opponent of the British National Party, became the third candidate to officially declare yesterday.
Mr Benn, Jack Straw and Hazel Blears are also tipped to join Mr Cruddas, Harriet Harman and Peter Hain in the contest. Mr Prescott will address the final session of conference this morning.