Political Focus, with Bill Jacobs

TONY Blair's main concern as he looks forward to next week's Labour Party conference in Brighton is how to stop it turning into a New Socialist Nuremburg Rally.

Despite the fact that it will be unaffected by the controversial proposals to reform it in the "Party into Power" blueprint, the sweet sensation of victory is likely to see all but the most die-hard lefties singing his praises.

Although the Prime Minister is keen to stop the ritual bloodletting that characterised the gathering in the 1980s, he is more than aware of the danger of turning his party into a personality cult.

If his knowledge of the failed projects of the far-left and the Communist world was not enough, he can recall the infamous Brighton Tory conference in 1989 when Margaret Thatcher's disciples chanted "Ten more years, Ten more years."

It was the beginning of the end for her. She lasted scarcely more than 12 months.

To remind himself of the dangers he need merely look across the Commons at the Conservative rump opposite.

But for a man who has rebuilt his party in his own image, this is a particularly awkward task.

The potentially most explosive issue - getting support for those "Party into Power" reforms of both policy making and conference itself - now looks satisfactorily stitched up in a very Old Labour way.

Union barons in smoke-filled rooms have promised to deliver the votes needed to get the measure through.

But even though the aim of these changes was to stop the Comrades kicking lumps out of each other and to ensure that Labour in future displays its wares to best advantage to voters, he knows he needs to ensure that the New Labour party is not just Tony Blair's private fiefdom. For as the fate of the Tory Party after Mrs Thatcher's demise shows, such a political institution does not survive its founder.

And if nothing else, Mr Blair looks to the long term.

He wants to portray a party at ease with itself but still filled with creative tension (as opposed to tensions over Cabinet salaries).

Mr Blair also needs his senior figures to portray themselves as heavyweights in their own right.

To be fair, he has made sure that Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott has stayed centre stage - despite the odd spat with chief "spin doctor" Peter Mandelson.

Chancellor Gordon Brown, Foreign Secretary Robin Cook, Home Secretary Jack Straw, Education Secretary David Blunkett and - perhaps most spectacularly with his resounding Home Rule Referendum victory - Donald Dewar have all filled the bill.

But next week, they must carry on enthusing an unreconstructed conference which is less than keen on Mr Straw and Mr Brown to name but two with new policies and new drive.

Indeed that is part of the purpose of last week's elaborate gavotte with the Liberal Democrats.

Mr Blair needs them on board his project as a credible opposition.

If his own party is blindly obedient to its leader and the Tories couldn't mount a half-decent confrontation with a rice pudding, there is a desperate need for a credible alternative.

Although Mr Mandelson and Chief Secretary Alistair Darling might fulminate about Paddy Ashdown's army's irresponsibility in criticising their spending plans and ignoring the need for extra cash for health and education, the synthetic warfare suits Mr Blair fine. While being basically on the same side, the Liberal Democrats provide the illusion that New Labour is being held to account by someone.

And with the Liberal Democrats getting a sniff of power - and the possibility of providing a home for disillusioned Labour and Tory voters in five years time - that suits Paddy and Officer Corps fine as well. But even this is not enough, the Prime Minister needs a whiff - just a whiff - of rebellion in his own party to maintain credibility and public sympathy,

So ironically, Mr Blair could do with a few defeats to enhance his own credibility within the party and the country.

As long as they don't affect his core policies on public spending, defence, law and order, education and health, the most powerful Labour leader his century will welcome them.

Gods, particularly political gods, are there to be shot down. Great but fallible leaders excite sympathy and support.

So don't put it beyond Mr Mandelson and his team to engineer a few unimportant defeats next week so Mr Blair can seem human in his graceful acceptance of the will of the party.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.