Activists walk out as Blair makes last TUC speech

The Prime Minister was faced by a walk-out by union activists today when he began making his last ever speech to the TUC Congress.

As Tony Blair got to his feet at the Brighton Conference Centre to address 700 delegates, a group of activists left the hall, including Bob Crow, general secretary of the Rail Maritime and Transport Union.

The entire delegation of the RMT followed Mr Crow out of the hall.

Mr Crow said: "What is the point of listening to someone when you cannot believe a word they say?

"In opposition, Blair promised a publicly-owned railway, an ethical foreign policy and full labour laws.

"He has delivered privatisation, illegal wars and the boast that Britain has the harshest anti-union legislation in western Europe."

It was the final speech to the annual TUC Conference by Mr Blair, who has said he will stand down as Labour Party leader next year.

There was a mixture of boos and some applause as Mr Blair was introduced to the conference.

Mr Crow and other members of the RMT delegation held up posters which said "Go now", while delegates from other unions held up posters which read "Blair out" and "Troops out".

TUC president Gloria Mills told delegates that they should never forget the Government's achievements, such as the national minimum wage, union recognition and economic stability.

But, before Mr Blair even started speaking, more than 30 delegates marched out of the hall, followed by a posse of cameramen and journalists.

As the delegates walked out of the hall Mr Blair said: "Thank you very much for that introduction - more or less."

Mr Blair began his speech by paying respect to the British Armed Forces who had lost their lives in recent conflicts.

As he spoke there were cries of "shame" and "bring them home" from some delegates.

Mr Blair warned trade unions of the danger of disunity in the Labour movements, allowing the Conservatives to regain power.

In what he has said will be his final speech as Labour leader to the TUC annual conference, Mr Blair warned of the danger that in the future they would be addressed by a "Labour leader of the opposition".

Mr Blair told delegates, to applause: "However difficult it is, however fraught our relations from time to time, make no mistake - I want the TUC to go on being addressed by a Labour Prime Minister not to addressed again by a leader of the opposition."

For 18 years, the Labour leader had "no power to do anything" other than oppose, he reminded them.

Mr Crow led his delegation back to the RMT's stand in the exhibition area.

He told PA: "We are not going to sit there and listen to someone who expelled this union from the Labour Party which we helped to form.

"He has got absolutely nothing in common with the trade union movement. We believe the average worker supports us in our demands for a publicly-owned railway and decent NHS rather than what he stands for."

Mr Blair said the protest was "not very sensible" and played to Labour's opponents.

He went on: "I simply say to people who make the protests, you are perfectly entitled to do it.

"But realise that those people who are in fact hostile to a Labour Government, and everything we've tried to achieve, you were doing precisely what they want. Not very sensible."

Mr Blair used his speech to deliver an appeal to Britons not to be " scared" of the consequences of globalisation, such as increased immigration and fiercer international competition.

He insisted that the recent waves of migrants from Poland and other eastern European countries had been good for the UK economy and rejected arguments that they had driven down wages or cost British workers their jobs.

So long as the rights of incoming workers are upheld and strong controls - including biometric ID cards - are in place, then the arrival of these migrant workers is good for the UK, he said.

Mr Blair also defended Britain's role in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Middle East, saying that the UK should be "proud" to be supporting the forces of democracy in areas where they are coming under attack from violent insurgents.

Stating his determination to "stand strong and fight where we need to", he said: "There is no justification for this terrorism, never was and never will be. Fight it wherever it is."

Mr Blair was heckled during the section of his speech on Iraq and Afghanistan when some delegates held up banners calling for troops to be withdrawn.

A frustrated Mr Blair deviated from his speech to say: "We should be proud of what we are doing to support democrats in Iraq and are proud of it.

"And proud also, you should be, of the work trade unions are doing in this country to support trade unions in Iraq and Afghanistan who have got trade union rights for the first time."

He said: "If you don't mind me saying so, since I am on this subject, you can hold up your posters about troops out but the reason troops are in is because the democratic Governments of Iraq and Afghanistan need our troops to protect their people against the Taliban and al Qaida."

To a combination of applause and heckles, he said: "I think we are warming up a bit here."

Then to a heckler he said: "Yeah you were warmed up already, but I'm just getting there."

As the shouting continued he said: "Look you can disagree, but just listen to the argument please - just for once - it's a democratic debate, ask a question afterwards but listen to the arguments."

Speaking to the Press Association before he left for Brighton to give his own speech, Chancellor Gordon Brown said: "I want to praise Tony Blair's speech, and I condemn those who walked out when they had the chance to listen and ask questions.

"I urge all trade unionists to support the reform agenda set out by Tony Blair and agreed by the whole Government."