John Prescott has roused the Labour faithful with a call for the party's MPs not to attack the government in the right-wing press.

The deputy prime minister stressed the need for party unity as the government faces tough times and lower opinion poll ratings.

"I've more chance of hearing some of the critical views from my parliamentary colleagues on television, than in the place where we should have our debates in the weekly meetings of the Parliamentary Labour Party," he said.

And Prescott said he "couldn't understand" why some MPs had been attacking the party's leadership in the run up to the Brent East by-election.

In a speech mocking the media, he also said the party had "confounded the doom and gloom merchants in the press".

"They predicted a week of reversals. We had two," he said.

"And now we know why, we haven't got a reverse gear," he joked, borrowing a line from the prime minister's own "brilliant" speech.

Prescott also praised chancellor Gordon Brown's "powerful" and "great" address.

On Iraq he said Blair "couldn't walk by on the other side".

"That's our leader, taking tough decisions, making momentous decisions."

An arch opponent of Charles Kennedy's party, Prescott dismissed any suggestion of a Liberal Democrat government.

And he described Kennedy as being "like a kid in a sweet shop not knowing how to pay for any of them".

The speech came two weeks to the day since Labour's defeat in Brent East.

In that constituency, Labour suffered humiliation as Kennedy's party came from third place to seize control of the previously safe Labour seat.

Labour would have to fight hard to avoid similar defeats in the trio of local, European and London elections in June next year, Prescott warned.

He was contemptuous of Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith too.

"He wants to change the face of the Conservative Party, he's going to spend £100,000 on a makeover," he said.

"He's been taught new hand gestures. I'll give him a hand gesture.

"It's old, it's traditional and I'll give it to him for free.

"It's the same hand gesture the voters will give him at the next general election."

And warning against complacency, he added that the Tories are "the lowest, most dangerous opponents we could ever have".

"Don't ever forget they are the real enemy."

The deputy Labour leader said the conference had not avoided tackling difficult issues.

"I'm pleased our debates have been open and constructive, that makes for better policy," he said.

And the Hull MP said the forthcoming policy consultation should extend beyond the party itself.

"If we want a government in touch with the party, we must have a party in touch with the country."

In a speech which followed a tough week for the party leadership - including a defeat over foundation hospitals - Prescott sent Labour's troops home with a blunt warning that division will only help one party - the Conservatives.

Following the speech the conference closed with the traditional singing of socialist anthem "The Red Flag".

Previously struck off the agenda under the New Labour regime, the first verse of the song was brought back by popular demand.