Blair: tough talking

Tony Blair is preparing for a rough ride this week as he puts the finishing touches to his annual address to trade unionists.

As the TUC holds its annual conference amid widespread anger at Labour's second term agenda, Blair will seek to allay union fears whilst warning that they cannot stand in the way of change.

Offering a closely calculated olive branch to his critics, Blair will praise the work of those who deliver frontline public services but stress the importance of reform.

However, senior trade unionists have let it be known that they are vehemently opposed to government plans to bring the private sector into the running of schools and hospitals.

John Edmonds, the GMB chief, has warned that the public is also opposed to the partial privatisation of classrooms and surgical units.

Frank Dobson, the former health secretary, has also entered the debate, warning the prime minister that the government has not been clear on the exact nature of its proposals.

"One of the problems was a lack of clarity and certainly at the election there was loose talk which gave the impression that the government wanted a huge extension of private capital and management into the health service and into schools. I don't think there's much evidence that the private sector has much to contribute," he told GMTV's Sunday programme.

The government also looks set to face opposition to its asylum plans this week after the TUC president, Bill Morris launched a campaign against the government's treatment of asylum plans.

On Sunday, Morris launched a campaign urging the government to scrap the voucher system.

"What we will be saying is that ... we were very concerned about the way that people were treated once they were here in the context of the voucher system. Last year we secured a commitment for a review, we are still waiting for the results of that review, we still have every confidence that at the end the government will get rid of the voucher system," said Morris.

Blair will deliver his annual address to the TUC on Tuesday - ahead of a debate on Wednesday in which unions will call for public services to be publicly-owned and publicly-operated.

The conference, which is likely to be dominated by the debate over public services, appears set to be one of the most politically charged in recent years.