Blair faces TUC walk-out

Last updated at 16:53 12 September 2006


Tony Blair was met with a walk-out, repeated heckling and boos for his last speech to the TUC as Labour leader.

The Left-wing RMT union stormed out while other delegates waved posters saying "Go now" and "Troops out".

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It was the last chance for union Leftwingers to embarrass Mr Blair at their annual gathering — but a defiant and angry premier hit back with a passionate defence of his political record and effectively told his critics to grow up.

There was just a smattering of boos from parts of the audience but most of the TUC delegates greeted the Prime Minister politely as he entered the hall without any fanfare.

At the end of his speech, there was polite applause lasting just 23 seconds and no standing ovation.

Before Mr Blair started, the 20 RMT delegates led by Bob Crow immediately stood up, holding posters calling on him to quit.

Members of the public services union produced posters saying "Public services not private profit" and a man in an orange jumpsuit held up a banner saying "Tony, end your war on terror".

Mr Blair acknowledged the protests at the start of his speech. "I say to people who make a protest, you are perfectly entitled to your view," he said.

But he warned that their actions played into the hands of Labour’s Tory-supporting enemies. The protest continued during his speech, however.

When he said, provocatively, that some people saw US President George Bush as a bigger danger than Islamic extremists, there were cries of "Yes!"

Mr Blair looked furious: "You make my

point; thank you," he said.

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