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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: maceng2 who wrote (9690)	9/28/2003 10:00:23 PM
From: Nadine Carroll	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 793670

[with the USA in debt up to it's eyeballs, it would be best if it helps beef up the UN, not dismiss it as it has done up to now...pb] Um, PB, the USA is in debt up to its eyeballs...until you start comparing its debt to the national debts of the EU countries. Not pretty.

To: maceng2 who wrote (9690)	9/28/2003 10:34:40 PM
From: LindyBill	Respond to of 793670

Blair: I'll hang on longer than Thatcher FRASER NELSON POLITICAL EDITOR THE SCOTSMAN TONY Blair made clear yesterday that he intends to outlast Margaret Thatcher, in a defiant message to the Labour Party conference, and explicitly denied any deal to hand power to Gordon Brown. The Prime Minister said he will not only fight the next general election, but intends to serve for the entire third term - a plan which would deliver at least 12 years in power, against Baroness Thatcher’s 11 years. His bullish stance came as Labour’s conference committee decided last night not to call a vote on Iraq - which would have led to certain defeat for Mr Blair. It will instead focus on NHS reform for England, a vote Mr Blair is expected to lose. The Prime Minister, in a pre-conference interview with BBC1’s Breakfast with Frost, ruled out standing down mid-term. He has hitherto been careful to avoid the question, raising questions about a deal with the Chancellor. "If you stand for election you stand for a full term. That’s clear, of course it is," he said. He added that, in the light of the setbacks in recent months, he is aware he must overcome several hurdles to win re-election. "I’ve got to convince [voters] that, despite all the stuff they’ve been hearing about the Hutton Inquiry and Iraq and all the rest of it, the thing that gets me up and motivates me is jobs and industry and schools and hospitals and crime and asylum." The ruling committee for Labour’s conference, being held in Bournemouth, decided last night the four issues it will put to a general vote: health, manufacturing, pensions and employment rights. While this will not protect Mr Blair from protests when he gives his main speech tomorrow, it suggests that anti-war speeches will not take place until Wednesday, when Geoff Hoon, the Defence Secretary, is due to speak. Mr Blair is expected to be defeated over foundation hospitals, a plan to grant semi-autonomous status to England’s NHS hospitals. This plan has been rejected in Scotland, and is largely opposed by Labour delegates, who consider it a form of privatisation. Mr Brown will lay out his credentials as a reformer and ask delegates for their support in his pre-Budget report - where he is expected to downgrade his growth forecasts for a third consecutive time. Passages of his speech released last night made no reference to the single currency when listing European priorities. Instead, he will launch a blistering attack on the Common Agricultural Policy, which governs subsidies to farmers across Europe. "Following the disappointment at Cancun, I am convinced we must do more to tackle the scandal of the CAP," he is expected to say, referring to complaints that subsidising European farmers acts as a trade barrier keeping out the third world. In a pitch to party delegates, he will reaffirm his commitment to "Labour values". It is not yet known whether he will back Mr Blair on either the war with Iraq or the controversial hospital reform programme. Spokesmen for Mr Blair and Mr Brown said neither had watched The Pact, a Channel Four drama broadcast last night about a supposed deal to hand over power to the Chancellor half-way through Labour’s second term. Mr Blair said on Breakfast with Frost : "There was no deal, there’s never been a deal." The Treasury said only that Mr Brown was sent an advance copy of the drama on DVD and has not watched it. This article: thescotsman.co.uk