By Laura Smith-Spark BBC News Online

In the second of three party conference pieces, BBC News Online asked A-level students in north-east London whether the prime minister had done enough to woo their vote.

Blair's speech left students asking how much was a publicity stunt

If Mr Blair wants to achieve his "third term mission" of a fairer country for all he will need the backing of the newest generation of voters.

But it seems he may struggle to win back the trust lost over the Iraq war.

"Can we take him at face value?" is the question history students at the independent Bancroft's School in Woodford Green ask after watching Mr Blair's keynote speech.

While the prime minister's admission that the evidence on which he led Britain to war was wrong is welcomed by some, for others it simply raises more questions.

Everyone's been saying it was pretty big of him to apologise but I think it was mainly a publicity stunt Student Martin Khoshdel Kennedy: Young voters' verdict' Howard: Young voters' verdict

Seventeen-year-old Martin Khoshdel admits he was surprised by Mr Blair's apparently "very heartfelt and genuine" apology over Iraq - but doubts his motives.

"Everyone's been saying it was pretty big of him to apologise but I think it was mainly a publicity stunt," he says.

"I think he knew a long time before this that it was a big mistake. He could have easily said it before."

Emily Heard, 17, also finds herself torn between the desire to put faith in Mr Blair's admission and suspicion he is only serving his own ends.

Was Blair's affection for Gordon Brown too much to believe?

"I'm inclined not to trust him so much because of all the stuff about Iraq," she says.

"But he seemed quite convincing, he seemed like he believed it."

Labour supporter James Roberts, 17, approves both of Mr Blair's apology and his insistence that removing Saddam Hussein from power was the right thing to do.

But Katie Traxton, 18, who intends to vote Conservative at the next general election as the "only real option" to remove Labour from power, says Mr Blair's apology is not enough to change her mind.

"I thought it was quite admirable that he admitted to an extent he was wrong over Iraq," she says.

'Very American'

"It would sway quite a lot of people's judgements because I think for a lot of people that was their main problem with him.

"I wouldn't want him to have a third term though."

Accusations of style over substance follow the prime minister's performance, despite the fact he kept the teenagers' attention for a full 67 minutes.

Darryl Taylor, 17, says: "I didn't like his speech at all. He tried to make it too comedic, belittling the other parties and trying to make his seem good."

HAVE YOUR SAY Mr Blair is right, the Labour party needs to pull together at this difficult time Stuart Dent, UK Send us your comments

He accuses Mr Blair of taking undeserved credit for improvements in Britain's economy.

"I thought he was trying to preach to his own choir, saying things to make people cheer him, making all the sound bites, trying to get people clapping all the time.

"He came in with handshaking, had his people behind him - it was all very American."

Katie agrees that the style of Mr Blair's speech only added to her mistrust.

Environment dropped

"It was littered with rhetoric and colloquial language, he referred colleagues by their first names which I think was a device to make him seem more trustworthy, though it had the opposite effect on me."

Adam O'Leary, 17, also dislikes the "mateyness" of Mr Blair's speech.

"I was surprised at his affection to Gordon Brown and I think it was quite a publicity stunt," he says.

He is disappointed that the prime minister barely mentioned the environment, while Darryl thinks Mr Blair should have tackled the issue of transport problems.

Blair "was right to apologise - and right to depose Saddam Hussein"

Mr Blair's promise to make Britain a "society of opportunity" for everyone meets with scepticism.

"He seemed to be saying a lot of stuff without saying how he was going to do it," says Emily.

Andrew Hales, 17, agrees: "He was trying to make life seem fair when it's not.

"Even if everyone has the same opportunities, you will always have the situation where people don't have the same skills because they are not born as clever."

But 18-year-old Melanie Stevens may lend Mr Blair a ray of hope after admitting she has been won over by his account of the party's achievements since 1997.

"I didn't know what to think of him before because we've been presented with all the negative aspects of what happened in the media," she says.

"I know he was trying to promote himself, saying the best he had done, but it did open my eyes a bit."