Blair addresses TUC; walk out by some union activists

London, Sep 12 (UNI) British Prime Minister Tony Blair today faced heckling, verbal criticism and a walk out by some union activists as he delivered his final speech as Prime Minister to the TUC conference in Brighton.

Dozens of delegates boycotted his speech alongwith expressions of verbal disapproval like ''shame'' and ''bring them home''.

Meanwhile, some delegates brandished "Blair Out" placards.

However Mr Blair warned activists of the danger that in the future the Labour Party would be out of power, and have to sit in opposition.

"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 be addressed again by a leader of the Opposition," he said, amid applause.

He later told the conference that continued reform of public services was essential if Britain was to compete in a global economy.

The Prime Minister said the country was facing a new set of challenges from terrorism, migration and globalisation that could not be ducked.

''The country feels under threat from terrorism, migration and globalisation. I can sense building up here and around the world the division - not of ideology but of attitude - as to how we deal with the consequences of globalisation," he said.

''Suddenly we feel under threat, physically from this new terrorism that is coming on to our streets, culturally as new waves of migrants change our society and economically because an open world economy is hastening the sharpness of competition," he added.

Mr Blair delivered his speech amid growing union anger at the direction of Government policy on public services. Health unions have launched a campaign to reverse the role of the private sector in the NHS.

UNI XC LL RAI2135