Blair is facing four conference defeats

Tony Blair is facing defeat at his party conference on four key policy areas.

The Labour leadership is already braced for a showdown with the unions over rail nationalisation.

But it has now emerged that Mr Blair could be defeated over his policies on 16- and 17-yearolds being given the vote, council housing and House of Lords reform.

The rows could dash hopes of using next week's Brighton gathering to present a united front before the general election which is expected next May.

Mr Blair could also face embarrassment if activists successfully table an emergency motion on Iraq. In addition, there could be a series of uncomfortable new motions, which are decided when conference gathers on Sunday. New rules mean as many as eight extra motions could be accepted, four from the unions and four from constituencies.

This could see the leadership face votes on contentious issues such as Guantanamo Bay, Iraq, the working time directive and pensions - leaving Mr Blair open to a series of embarrassing defeats.

The Labour leadership is engaged in negotiations with the unions and constituency delegates in an attempt to head these off.

But party officials admitted that the leadership could not guarantee it would win votes on the conference floor. Moves to commit Labour to rail renationalisation have been pushed onto the agenda by the unions.

An amendment tabled by the Transport and Salaried Staff Association, has been backed by Unison, the Transport and General Workers' Union and GMB.

If accepted, Mr Blair faces the prospect of having to fight the election promising an " integrated, accountable and publiclyowned railway".

TSSA general secretary Gerry Doherty will propose the motion. He will tell the conference: "We are not doing it for dogmatic or ideological reasons. We are doing it because it's right for our railway."

He will tell the Prime Minister: "It's right because it would ensure that every penny that goes into the railways is reinvested back into the industry. It's right because it would streamline decision-making and improve passenger services. And it's right because it would be a popular, vote-winning policy."

The leadership is also under pressure to change its housing policy to give local authorities greater control of how housing repair budgets are spent.

There has also been a surprise backlash at extending the franchise to allow 16- and 17-year-olds to vote. Ministers have said they want to press ahead with the changes despite the Electoral Commission voicing opposition to the idea.

Critics in the Labour party fear the move could backfire as many of the new voters were opposed to the Iraq war.