Blair faces more revolts

Tony Blair faces a massive revolt by trade unions, Labour MPs and activists over his public service reforms.

Union leaders are preparing to lead a rebellion against university top-up fees and controversial Foundation Hospitals.

A series of motions condemning the shake ups are set to be passed at the Trades Union Congress in Brighton - despite plans by Chancellor Gordon Brown to make a keynote speech at the gathering defending Labour's plans.

It will set the scene for a further challenge at Labour's annual party conference at the end of the month.

The unions and local activists together command more than half the votes - and party managers fear the revolt is big enough to lead to one or more defeats for the leadership.

Defeat on university education or the NHS would be a big dent to the Prime Minister's authority at a time when public trust is at a low ebb in the wake of the death of David Kelly.

Plans to charge students up to £3,000 each in top-up fees are the biggest flashpoint. More than 170 Labour MPs signed a Commons motion against the move and internal Labour surveys suggest party members are resolutely opposed.

Foundation hospitals, seen by activists as a threat to the NHS, are also widely disliked and Unison, the public sector union, is sending out a draft motion calling for hospitals to remain in state control. THIS August will go down in history as one of the hottest on record.

As well as reaching the highest recorded UK temperature, it was the fourth driest August in 100 years and the fifth warmest, say forecasters. The heatwave lasted eight days from 3 to 11 August.

The average temperature for England and Wales for the whole month was 18.3C.