Prescott: Closes conference

Deputy prime minister John Prescott has closed the Labour conference in Brighton with a call for party unity in the run up to the next general election.

He warned Labour members against complacency and dismissed talk that an historic third term was in the bag.

"Conference, I've got to tell you that's not just complacent. It's dangerous. It's arrogant," Prescott said.

"It's arguing over the spoils of victory while the battle's going on.''

In the final address to what is expected to be Labour's last annual conference before the general election, he added: "If there's one thing I've learned in politics, it's that we must fight for every vote.

"This party should never, ever take anyone, or anyone's vote, for granted."

Prescott warned that the British people had "paid one hell of a price" when the apparently "unelectable" Ted Heath and Margaret Thatcher were elected.

The key to avoiding an "unelectable" Michael Howard doing the same was unity and hard work, he said.

The deputy Labour leader said: "Let's be proud of what we've done. Let's break that age old pattern.

"Let's be the first generation of Labour people who refuse to tear ourselves apart, who refuse to saddle the British people with yet another Tory government."

"Keeping power requires consensus in the party and the wider country. But it starts within the party. All of us have responsibility from the leadership down," he added.

After his speech the conference ended with Tony Blair on stage taking part in a rendition of the traditional Red Flag and Jerusalem.