UK: BLACKPOOL: LABOUR PARTY ANNUAL CONFERENCE: TONY BLAIR SPEECH

(1 Oct 1996) English/Nat

Labour leader Tony Blair, the man widely topped to become Britain's next prime minister has promised to build a new constructive relationship with Europe if he comes to power.

In a keynote speech at Labour's Annual Party Conference - his last before the next general elections - Blair mapped out his vision for Britain's future under a Labour government.

Britain's Prime Minister, John Major - leader of the Conservative party - must call an election within the next eight months. Opinion polls are predicting a Labour win for the first time in 17 years.

Blackpool in the north coast of England is a favourite spot for political party conferences.

And it was here that Labour leader Tony Blair made his final conference speech before the next general election. Blair - who's widely tipped to become Britain's next prime minister, rallied his troops behind the Labour banner and mapped out his vision for the future under a Blair government.

The Labour leader received a rapturous welcome when he appeared on stage.

The Labour party is currently ahead in the opinion polls - if it topples the ruling Conservative party at the next general election, Britain would have its first Labour government for 17 years.

Tony Blair had a message of unity for the party faithful.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Forget the past. No more bosses versus workers. We are on the same side, the same team and Britain united will win."
SUPER CAPTION: Tony Blair - leader of Britain's Labour party

In his rousing keynote speech Blair vowed his government would rectify a number of issues.

Among the Labour leaders' top priorities would be improving British education standards.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Ask me my three main priorities for government and I tell you education, education and education."
SUPER CAPTION: Tony Blair - leader of Britain's Labour party

The fight for education was the main plank of Blair's speech and he was adamant his party would rejuvenate a system that in Britain has suffered lack of funding and constant cuts for years.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"And I tell you my vision of the future. I would like a state education system in Britain so good, so attractive that the parents choose to put behind us the educational apartheid of the past, private and state, and I don't believe anything would do more to break down the class divides that have no place in a modern country in the 21st century."
SUPER CAPTION: Tony Blair - leader of Britain's Labour Party

The Labour leader promised to take action over gun ownership following the Dunblane tragedy where 16 schoolchildren were shot dead by a gunman.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Well if they had been in that gym, if they had talked to those parents sitting on those tiny chairs where once their children had sat, they would have been emotional too. I believe that we should ban the private ownership and possession of handguns.
SUPER CAPTION: Tony Blair - leader of Britain's Labour Party

Blair also pledged to push Britain's relationship with the European Union to the top of his election campaign.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Britain has the Presidency of the European Union in the first half of 1998. One of our key priorities in that Presidency will be the completion of the single market. Well today even in opposition I set a deadline - June 1998 - the end of the British Presidency for the completion of the single market in Europe."
SUPER CAPTION: Tony Blair - leader of Britain's Labour Party

Blair's speech met with an enthusiastic response by delegates at the conference.


SOUNDBITE: (English)

SOUNDBITE: (English)


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