Blair bullish on long-term policies

Tony Blair remains upbeat despite electoral setbacks

Prime Minister Tony Blair has pledged not to alter his long-term policies for Britain - "come fair weather or foul" -, despite his party's recent humiliation at the polls.

He said his government is not just more competent than the last Conservative administration but is determined to see its "project" through.

His comments came in his first speech since Ken Livingstone became London Mayor and the Tories gained nearly 600 local council seats from Labour.

I stand firmly in the radical centre of British politics

Tony Blair

Mr Blair said he would take on both the "old left" and the "Tory right" to make "the changes necessary for Britain's long-term strength, so that we can create a society where opportunity and wealth are not just for the privileged few but for all our people".

He said: "Our biggest threat is not any argument or intellectual debate from the Conservatives - there is none. It is cynicism that confronts us."

Mr Blair's comments, at a lunch of the Periodical Publishers' Association, come in response to Labour MPs urging a political change of direction after last week's election setbacks.

"This I hope is a government of convictions but its convictions are with New Labour not old left or Tory right - it's where I stand, it's what I believe in," he said.

"We have to carry on modernising, making the changes necessary for Britain's long-term strength so that we can create a society where opportunity and wealth are not just for the privileged few but for all our people."

He said he was determined to "face up to the necessity of reform", an example of which is the part-privatisation of the National Air Traffic Control System (Nats) to be debated by the Commons on Tuesday.

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Dozens of Labour MPs have threatened to revolt against the plan, but Mr Blair regards it as the type of "tough, unpopular reform" which would be "proved right in the long term".

The prime minister also highlighted what he said were government successes on the economy, and in education and welfare reform - where tough decisions have already been taken.

But he also addressed his concerned backbenchers by saying: "If you are wealthy and privileged, Britain has always worked well for you - we are changing the country to make it work for the many.

"It's the path people elected us to follow and we stand firmly upon it - long-term problems, long-term solutions, seeing the change through."