Blair: I'm listening

It's good to be back in Brighton. I always enjoy coming here - and so, I know, does the party.

It's not just the fine conference facilities or undoubted attractions of the town. We've always had a warm welcome here even before the days when Brighton and Hove boasted an energetic Labour council and three hard-working Labour MPs.

Conference week is always busy for a leader. But I hope to grab time to get out and about to meet, talk and listen to local people - and see what's happening on the ground.

I know there have been changes since we were last here three years ago. The redevelopment of Churchill Square, for instance, by the council and private sector is an excellent example of the partnership approach this Government is determined to encourage.

And, of course, the Albion - still in exile three years ago with their future in doubt - are back in town and going well. And that's a credit to a lot of people in this community including, I know, the Argus itself.

I can't pretend the last couple of weeks have been plain sailing for the Government. They haven't been. But no one said being in Government was easy. And it's when the going gets rough, people can really judge you. Whether you can stand the pressure, whether you are up to the job.

That doesn't mean ignoring public opinion. It doesn't mean ignoring real grievances. Any Government is foolish if it doesn't listen, whether it is on the level of petrol duty or anything else.

It was because we listened that Gordon Brown in his last Budget scrapped the fuel escalator - introduced by the Tories - and froze petrol duty in real terms. And I promise Argus readers we will keep on listening.

But I can also assure you that we won't risk this country's hard-won economic stability by chasing the quick fix or the easy headline. I promise we won't make any decisions without looking at the long-term interests of the country.

And looking to the long-term is what this Labour Government has been doing ever since we came into power. No Government will get everything right. And progress hasn't always been as fast as we would like.

But I believe, too, there has been progress, real progress, on what matters most to people here in Brighton and Hove and across the country. Living standards rising. Unemployment falling. School standards improving. Ten thousand more nurses, five thousand more doctors in our NHS.

And this progress will accelerate, as it must, in the months and years to come because we looked at the long-term. Because we took the tough decisions - and yes that included higher petrol duty in our first two years - needed to sort out the financial mess we inherited and to tackle Tory boom and bust.

The result is unemployment has fallen in Brighton and Hove by more than 40 per cent since the election. And thanks in part to the New Deal, youth unemployment has been cut by 80 per cent.

Across the country, there are a million more people in work, inflation is low, interest rates are half the level they reached under the Tories.

And because of record numbers of people in work and billions of pounds less is being paid in debt charges, the extra investment the country needs - and Argus readers want - in hospitals, schools, transport system, in fighting crime and tackling poverty can be afforded now and in the years to come.

It's investment to continue driving up standards in our schools, to employ more teachers, to continue the repairs and renovations which have already seen £4.5 million spent on Brighton and Hove schools including replacing hutted classrooms at Portslade Community College.

Record and sustained investment, too, for our health service. Twice the average increase in funding the NHS has enjoyed in its history. money for more doctors and nurses, to modernise hospitals, to provide new equipment, to improve services. Money to continue the improvements we have seen at RSCH which include a new cardiac unit and a modernised A&E.

It's money, too, for extra police and to improve roads and public transport. Money as well for the £150 winter allowance to pensioners and for the free TV licences for the over 75s.

So yes, there's more to do. But what's certain is that all this progress, all this investment, would be threatened by a Tory party who confuse serious opposition with shameless opportunism and who intend to cut £16 billion off spending on our hospitals, schools and other key pubic services.

Let me end by apologising in advance for any disruption for Argus readers while the conference is taking place.

What I can promise is that we are working as hard as we can, with the help of the police, to reduce it to the absolute minimum possible. We want you to enjoy having us as much as we intend to enjoy being here.