Tony Blair wants support from Welsh delegates

Mr Blair will be attempting to garner support a day after a significant number of delegates sceptical about the war attempted to force the gathering to discuss the crisis.

They were unsuccessful, but their message will be taken up by anti-war protesters outside the conference at Brangwyn Hall who will demonstrate when the prime minister arrives.

And one assembly backbencher has already said Mr Blair should be charged with war crimes if he joins an attack on Iraq.

Mr Blair is expected to tell the unconvinced that the world will be in greater danger if it does not confront Saddam Hussein.

Setting the war issue aside, Mr Blair will focus his speech on the forthcoming Welsh Assembly elections.

Standards

He is set to defend tax rises which will take effect in April, saying: "We should be proud to tell it straight to the British people: if we want an NHS fit for the modern world, we have to pay for it."

He will say the alternative would be a health insurance system similar to the US.

Mr Blair is expected to praise Labour's achievements so far, but will say there is still more to do to improve standards in schools and to cut hospital waiting lists.

We're not New Labour, not old Labour, we're Welsh Labour Rhodri Morgan

First Minister Rhodri Morgan, who is to address the conference at lunchtime, will tell delegates that devolution is working for Wales.

He is due to say: "The foundations of the new Wales have been laid, but on the brink of the elections for the second term, Labour now need the tools to build on what we have achieved."

"What sort of society are we creating today? A devolved society is a responsible society.

"Now that devolution has placed power in our hands, we have got to get on with the job.

"Labour in the Assembly has shown that we have the ability to match up to the job."

'War crimes'

Devolution in Wales under Labour has meant a society of people who have "responsibility for one another," he will say.

"While I am First Minister of Wales, our growing prosperity will be used in a Welsh communitarian way, in which we will look after one another.

"We're not New Labour, not old Labour, we're Welsh Labour."

But the issue of possible conflict with Iraq has been dominating fringe meetings at the conference.

At one of them on Tuesday, Richard Edwards AM, Chairman of Welsh Labour Against the War, said: "If Blair follows Bush into Iraq, then he cannot remain Prime Minister.

He certainly will not deserve to remain Prime Minister, not a Labour Prime Minister."

"I tell you what he'll deserve," he told the gathering of around thirty members, "he'll deserve to be in an international court charged with war crimes."