No-one should be in doubt about how much more we still have to do to achieve our goals

Tony Blair

The conference is widely regarded as a springboard for the party's campaign, with 3 May predicted as the most likely date for polling.

Mr Blair stressed that his determination to become the first Labour leader to secure two full terms in office stemmed not "from wanting to make history" but because of the need to push through the reforms which could transform Britain into a "modern, more prosperous and fairer society".

"One of the reasons for our success at the last election was that we fought until the end for every seat and every vote. And that's what we must do again," he said.

The main task for Labour activists, said Mr Blair, was to warn the country that the election of a Tory government would mean a return to "boom and bust" and the throwing away of hard won economic stability.

Pundits favour 3 May poll

A similar warning against complacency is made by the Prime Minister in a special spring conference edition of the left-wing Labour newspaper, Tribune.

He says Labour has done a lot since being elected in May 1997 but "no-one should be in doubt about how much more we still have to do to achieve our goals".

The BBC's political correspondent, Nicholas Jones, says that although Labour officials are insisting this is a "working conference", delegates are gearing themselves up for an election under the slogan "Next Steps for Britain".