Blair tells unions: I run this country

Tony Blair today warned that there will be no return to mass disruption at the hands of the unions - "not while I'm Prime Minister".

He went on: "We govern for the whole country. The unions have a right to be listened to but they don't govern the country."

That theory will be tested when Mr Blair faces the TUC conference in September and Labour's annual conference a few weeks later.

The big unions are already threatening more stoppages by council workers, in pursuit of an inflation-busting six per cent pay claim, and by Underground workers.

Tension between the government and the unions is also growing over the issue of workers' rights. Mr Blair has signalled that there will be no radical change.

Mr Blair's comments, at the second of his new Downing Street conferences, followed the recent and unexpected election of Leftwinger Derek Simpson to lead the AEEU/Amicus union and the earlier choice of Bob Crow to head the RMT rail union.

There are fears in Downing Street and beyond that other senior union allies, like the ousted Sir Ken Jackson of the AEEU, will be voted out.