Jack Straw was given a standing ovation as he addressed the Labour Party conference for the final time as a frontbencher.

The Blackburn MP is on the verge of bowing out of frontline politics after 30 years, and today in Manchester he made his final address from the platform.

His colleagues had paid tribute to him in the buildup to the address. Keith Vaz MP, who chaired the crime and justice session, said it was the 'end of an era'.

"Whenever there has been a crisis, Labour leaders have called for Jack Straw", he added.

Shadow Home Secretary Alan Johnson poked fun at his fellow Labour veteran, telling the audience Mr Straw had been given a stairlift as a farewell present and that he had helped draft the original Labour Party consitution in 1918.

But he added there was 'no better Parliamentarian' than the Blackburn MP.

When Mr Straw - who had backed David Miliband to be leader - took to the stage, he paid tribute to Ed Miliband, who was narrowly elected to the top job at the weekend.

He also focused on his constituency, saying school standards in Blackburn with Darwen had more than doubled in a decade under Labour, reminding the conference of Blackburn Rovers' Premier title-winning season of 1994/95, and praising his local party for its efforts in retaining his seat with an increased majority in May.

He repeated the new leader's call for Labour to appeal to the middle ground of voters, and was applauded when he said Prime Minister David Cameron had 'released the inner Tory' in Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg.

As revealed in the Lancashire Telegraph last month, Mr Straw has not put himself forward for a place in the shadow cabinet, and his reign on the front bench will come to an end when the front-bench positions are finalised in the coming weeks.

He has previously held the roles of Home Secretary, Foreign Secretary, Justice Secretary and Leader of the House of Commons.