Blair faces damaging defeats

Trade Union leaders have won a key battle to force a series of highly damaging votes at the Labour conference next week.

The biggest unions have combined to ensure Tony Blair faces embarrassing defeats on key issues, including foundation hospitals, pensions and union rights.

Labour party managers have now warned Downing Street that they have failed to persuade the unions to back off, leaving the Government wide open to seeing flagship policies rejected at its own party conference.

The one crumb of comfort for Mr Blair is that the unions' determination to promote their own priorities may squeeze a vote on the Iraq war off the agenda. Another dangerous issue - the row over university top-up fees - is also being pushed to the margins in last-minute negotiations over the conference timetable.

Both issues are certain to attract fierce criticism from speakers but the prospect of Mr Blair being condemned in a formal vote over Iraq and student fees looks likely to be averted.

A defeat on foundation hospitals will be a major setback to Mr Blair's radical plans to modernise the NHS and allow more flexibility