BRIGHTON, Sept 26: British Prime Minister Tony Blair geared up on Tuesday to rally the Labour faithful for the electoral fight ahead after fending off revolts over pensions and fuel. Despite his worst month in power culminating in an unprecedented nosedive in the polls, he was expected to send the party into an effective election mode, warning of "a real fight to be had over the future direction of Britain."The fightback began on Monday when Finance Minister Gordon Brown took to the rostrum in a stirring defence of the government's handling of the economy. Rejecting calls for quick fixes to ease the pain of high fuel prices and stagnating pensions, the chancellor of the exchequer pledged never to return to the "old short-termism" of the past. "There will be no sudden lurches in tax or spending policy. There will be no irresponsible pre-election sprees or pay demands."His bombastic performance, after he had come under fire over his response to the concerns of pensions and fuel protesters, earned Brown a longstanding ovation and a kiss from his new wife.It came, however, at the cost of compromising one of his principles, when he hinted he would after all appease anger over the miserly increase of less than one pound ($1.5) a week in the basic state pension. That looked as if it might just be enough to head off a brewing revolt on pensions spearheaded by unions and party activists.Bill Morris, head of the large Transport and General Workers' Union, said he expected "a significant increase" in the basic pension when Brown makes a pre-budget statement in late October or early November. "Brown buys off pensions revolt," headlined the Daily Telegraph, while The Times took a more sympathetic line: "Brown gives Labour new heart." Lagging in the polls, where Labour trails the Opposition Conservatives for the first time in eight years, the party leadership needs a good conference.According to Labour officials, Blair would acknowledge in his speech that the government had "taken a knock" over the petrol and pensions rows and had not responded well enough. They said the premier, using similar economic rhetoric to Brown, would try to highlight spending on schools and hospitals, comparing it with the alleged cuts proposed by the Tories.While the lack of specific promises on fuel and pensions might disappoint some campaigners, Blair's rallying call for a second election victory is sure to strike a chord with party activists.Most analysts and observers expect an election next year, although opinion is divided on spring or autumn. Blair could even decide to wait until the end of his mandate in May 2002. Brown's speech was the highlight of day two of the conference, which also saw a joint protest, by farmers for lower fuel taxes and rural groups against proposals to ban fox-hunting.Led by some 300 tractors, nearly 2,000 demonstrators drove slowly past the seafront conference centre, carrying placards and effigies. Monday's conference business closed with one other high point - a fringe debate chaired by Blair's wife Cherie on whether the party had "delivered for women."
