Blair's critics protest before party rally

Tens of thousands of protesters marched yesterday against Prime Minister Tony Blair on the eve of a rally of his Labour Party where a struggle over the leadership looked set to steal the headlines.

Activists shouting "Blair must go!" and chanting opposition to the Iraq war and to nuclear weapons streamed through the centre of the northern city of Manchester, which will host Labour's annual conference from today to Thursday.

It will be Blair's final conference as party leader after nine years in office and three successive election victories. Blair's backing for the US-led war on Iraq, his policies in the Middle East and his reforms of public services have angered many in Labour, leading to a slide in his popularity.

He was forced earlier this month to say he would resign within a year as rows over the succession exploded into public. Police estimated the number of protesters at around 20,000 and said there had been no arrests by mid-afternoon.