Clinton wades into debate on UK's ruling party

MANCHESTER, England, Sep 27 (Reuters) Former US President Bill Clinton waded into the debate on the future of Britain's ruling Labour Party today, warning that its achievements could be swept away if it lost the next election.

''I think your biggest problem right now is that people take your achievements and your ideas for the future for granted,'' Mr Clinton told the Labour Party's annual conference.

Prime Minister Tony Blair, a close friend of Mr Clinton, gave an emotional farewell speech to the conference on Tuesday after announcing he would leave office within a year.

The party, in power for nine years, has been torn by infighting over when Mr Blair should go. Blair's popularity has waned over his support for the US-led war in Iraq, his policies in the West Asia and his pro-market reforms.

Finance minister Gordon Brown is favourite to succeed Blair but others could step into the race.

The party faces the biggest threat in years from the opposition Conservatives, re-energised by youthful new leader David Cameron, although the next general election is not expected until 2009.

CHANGE ''You have produced prosperity and social progress for so long it is easy for people to believe it's just part of the landscape ... or (that) if you get a set of new faces in the driver's seat, surely they wouldn't change what's working?'' said Clinton, watched by Mr Blair and Mr Brown.

''I have been there,'' he said, drawing laughter from the packed audience.

He contrasted the big budget deficits racked up by US President George W Bush's administration with the surplus the government had when Clinton left office in 2001.

''We were on our way to becoming debt-free as a country for the first time since 1837 ... Now we've added trillions and trillions of dollars to the debt,'' Mr Clinton said.

''I say that to remind you that it can change quickly,'' he told the Labour Party faithful, in a warning against complacency after its three successive election victories.

Labour had to tell people that Britain's successes -- such as solid job creation and efforts to fight world poverty and combat climate change -- were no accident, but due to the government, Clinton said.

It was important Labour continue to be seen as ''the agents of change,'' he said, noting newspaper surveys that said most Britons believed it was time for change.

''The question for New Labour and the British people is not whether you will change, it is how you will change and in what direction,'' he said.

REUTERS BDP RK2136