Brown: economy is the key

Gordon Brown today hailed his achievements in the Treasury as "a record to be proud of " and put his economic success at the heart of Labour's next election campaign.

But Mr Brown today flatly denied that he was having a dig at the Prime Minister. He insisted: "Of course, not. We do these things together." Speaking in Brighton ahead of his speech to the party conference, Mr Brown insisted his use of the word trust was merely a reference to the failure-of previous Labour governments to retain the voters' confidence on economic issues.

"Over 20 or 30 years a central issue has been the people's loss of trust in the Labour Party on the economy, with the IMF being called in, and their loss of trust in the Conservatives with the ERM in the Nineties. Tony Blair and I together have built trust in the economy. This is all of us together."

Mr Brown's emollient words appeared to be deliberately designed to avoid accusations that he was attempting to hijack the conference at a time when Mr Blair is on the ropes because of the Bigley hostage crisis. "Our thoughts are with Kenneth Bigley and the Bigley family and Tony Blair will need to have our support in this difficult time over Iraq," he said.

His aides were stung by widespread reports today that the Chancellor would use his keynote speech as a rallying cry to Labour MPs and unions disenchanted with the Iraq war and policies like top-up fees and foundation hospitals.

Both sides were keenly aware of the damage inflicted when Mr Brown delivered his "best when we are boldest" speech last year.

One aide insisted that today's address would be "unifying" and designed to patch up the party's wounds.

Mr Brown dismissed the picture painted that he is opposed to "radical" reform of public services, saying he would unveil new reforms in his pre-Budget report.

He also got tough against Labour rebels, making clear he will simply ignore looming conference votes to renationalise the railways and let councils spend ?5 billion more on homes.

"I will make it absolutely clear today on any public spending plans there's no preelection giveaway for that nor for expensive proposals for the railways," he told Sky News.

Mr Brown refused to comment on claims that Mr Blair had reneged on a deal struck last year to hand him the keys to Number 10 before the general election.

He also played down suggestions of a rift with Alan Milburn, the Government's elections and policy supremo, or that he had been excluded from election planning. "I'm not going to get involved in this tittle-tattle and gossip about who does what," he said.

There was consternation last night after aides to Mr Brown trailed sections of his speech which were interpreted as a defiant sharp dig at Mr Blair.

By boasting of his economic successes, he was seen to be both setting his record in contrast to Mr Blair's and pressing for the right to run Labour's general election campaign, where economic issues will be a strong card.

He will tell the conference that even the "great" Attlee government was undermined by economic failure and say: "So let me say honestly to the party and the country that in order to meet the long-term challenges ahead we must and will take no risks with the long-term policies for stability and prudence that I have and will set out.

"We will never be complacent about stability. We must at all times show we have the discipline and strength to take the tough long-term fiscal and monetary decisions for Britain."