GORDON Brown was under pressure to give the `speech of his life' to the Labour party conference today amid continuing questions over his political future.
The prime minister was expected to unveil a raft of new policies - including a £300m voucher programme aimed at giving high-speed internet access to every child in the country - under the theme of fairness.
He will also flag up action against illegal immigrants, `higher profile' punishment of offenders, more police on the streets and a tightening of the rules on claiming unemployment benefit.
Mr Brown's speech came as party activists at the conference in Manchester continued to discuss privately whether he could survive for long without a Labour recovery in the opinion polls.
There have been virtually no calls for the prime minister to step down over the past two days, but a well-received address by David Miliband led to frenzied speculation that the foreign secretary had again set himself up as a leader-in-waiting.
Former home secretary David Blunkett later warned expectations on Mr Brown had been raised, and encouraged the prime minister to give `the speech of his life'.
Mr Brown's new internet vouchers will be worth up to £700 per family. They are aimed at addressing the fact that 1.4m families with school-age children currently have no access to broadband.
The total cost - around £300m - will be paid for through efficiencies at the Department for Children, Schools and Families.
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The scheme will be piloted in two areas and extended around the country in 2010/11.
Mr Brown will say: "To ensure we are prepared for times to come we will fund 1m more households to go online, enabling parents to link up with teachers at their children's schools."
The prime minister will put fairness at the heart of his value-system in a highly personal speech.
Mr Brown will say that he wants a society which gives everyone a fair chance - but where those who fail to meet their responsibilities are dealt with firmly. He will describe this as a `something-for-something' Britain.
He was saying today: "In this world of vast economic and social change, new opportunities for all must be matched by new responsibilities.
"Our aim is a something-for-something Britain, not a nothing-for-nothing Britain. A Britain of fair chances for all, and fair rules applied to all."
The speech was expected to flag up an increase in childcare provision as well as some more controversial proposals.
In particular, Mr Brown is likely to flag up further restrictions on work-related benefits and a toughening of the government's stance on illegal immigration.
He will say: "Our policy is that everyone who can work must work, so that the dole is only for those looking for work or actively preparing for it. "That's only fair to the people pulling their weight."
Mr Brown will add: "We recognise the contribution that migrants make to our economy and our society, but the other side of welcoming newcomers who can help Britain is being tough about excluding those who won't and can't.
"That's only fair to the tax-paying public and to the migrants who uphold the rules."
The speech was seen as a high-risk gamble by Mr Brown, going above the head of his party to boost his popularity with the electorate.
The prime minister will also spell out a number of reforms on crime, saying he will never `indulge those who perpetrate it'. "Justice seen is justice done," he will say. "You will be seeing more police on the street, higher profiles for the verdicts of the court, and greater visibility for the people doing community payback.
"That's only fair to the law abiding majority."
Mr Brown will say his general approach will be characterised by the principle of rewarding those who play by the rules and punishing those who do not.
He will add: "Nobody in Britain should get to take more out of the system than they are willing to put in. "That's what fairness means to me."
Mr Brown is also expected to spell out plans for a £1bn package to provide free part-time nursery places for all two-year-olds.
The prime minister will be hoping his speech allows him to bounce back in the polls ahead of a by-election in the previously safe Labour seat of Glenrothes.
Many insiders have speculated that a defeat there could seal Mr Brown's fate. Yesterday, Peter Mandelson - one of the chief architects of New Labour - remained silent when asked if he was backing Mr Brown.
The two were at the centre of bitter feuding when both were in Tony Blair's Cabinet and today at a conference fringe meeting he remained tight-lipped about Labour's internal party problems.
Twelve months on from lavishing praise on the Prime Minister at last year's conference, he declined to answer questions about Mr Brown's leadership.
"I think I've said everything in the meeting," the EU Trade Commissioner replied when asked if he was backing Mr Brown.
But Mr Miliband himself paid tribute to the prime minister, saying he had 'transformed the political debate about international development' in the UK and across the world.
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Showing comments 1 to 11 and replies | View All
Went to Wembley in '56, USA (23/09/2008 at 10:09)
Jay B, oldham (23/09/2008 at 10:16)
if he says he'll address the problem of british jobs for british people like he promised, sorted out the shambles thats the benefits system and stopped going on about child poverty then he might still have a chance.
i see it quite simply as.
less migrant workers means more jobs for brits.
more brits in work means more money staying in the economy.
more brits earning money means less brits claiming benefit.
less brits claiming benefit means less people classed as in poverty.
less people in poverty means less kids in poverty.
less poverty means less social unrest.
less social unrest means less crime.
less money spent on benefits means more money for services like nhs and police.
more money for the police and nhs means less crime and better healthcare.
now if those words comes out of his mouth then he's won me over.
how many others are thinking this i dont know but i know im not alone.
Ace Shakepseare, manchester (23/09/2008 at 10:54)
Donna. Harpurhey (23/09/2008 at 11:43)
Winston Churchill : "We'll fight them on the beaches, we'' fight them in the air" !
Gordon Brown : "Lag yer lofts and insulate yer walls" !
Go lag your loft Gordon. The country is laughing at you and your deadbeat ministers.
Ace Shakepseare, manchester (23/09/2008 at 11:56)
Ace Shakepseare, manchester (23/09/2008 at 12:05)
This party have given europe loads of jobs and weve even paid for them with taxes.Just look at how many jobs have been lost to europe.
Ace Shakepseare, manchester (23/09/2008 at 13:24)
Jay B, oldham (23/09/2008 at 14:13)
in his last speach brown said british jobs for british people. so how come migration has grown out of control? if they're not here to work, then what are they here for? claiming off our system.
Rt Hon Dr Rev MC Spanner MP QC FCA FRICS JP OK (23/09/2008 at 14:23)
Whatever he says, people have stopped listening. The only thing he could say to make people like him more is to have the guts to put his party through an General Election.
I don't see that happening
Ace Shakepseare, manchester (23/09/2008 at 15:47)
They are here because The EU and the people in europe who control everything allow the garbage from all over europe collect their benefits from our purse and so it frees the mainland europe to thrive while britain puts up with the crime and everything that goes with the out of control immigration problem.
Big Blue CITY,The Arabian Knight,Sharif Azul Celeste., Manchester (23/09/2008 at 16:37)