British Prime Minister Tony Blair urged his Labour Party yesterday to stop squabbling over who will succeed him and focus on policy as Labour began its last annual conference with Mr Blair in charge.

Despite his pleas, the frenzy over the leadership grew as Mr Blair declined to name his exit date or echo an earlier endorsement of Finance Minister Gordon Brown as his successor.

"What I want to do this week is say to the party: 'We have had a difficult time recently. Go back, focus on the public, the public's concerns and things that really worry people'," Mr Blair told the BBC's Sunday AM programme.

The rally in the northern city of Manchester is crucial for Mr Blair and heir apparent Mr Brown, whose uneasy and at times hostile relationship has dominated British politics for nearly a decade.

The party fears infighting will further dent its dwindling popularity. Labour trailed the resurgent opposition Conservative Party by four points in a YouGov poll for The Sunday Times.

The next general election is expected in 2009 although Labour could suffer in local elections in May.

Mr Blair, who delivers his farewell speech to the conference tomorrow, has angered many Labour members with his backing for the US-led war on Iraq, his policies in the Middle East and his pro-market reforms of public services.

Tens of thousands of people protested against his policies in Manchester on Saturday.

Mr Blair was forced recently to say he would step down within a year to stem a party revolt. Some in Labour want him to go soon.

Jeremy Beecham, a top Labour Party official, had a blunt message for party members writing letters urging Mr Blair to go or those attacking colleagues, telling the conference: "A period of silence from you would be welcome."

Several delegates complained conference organisers had rejected their requests for a debate on the leadership or on the controversial question of whether to replace the Trident nuclear weapons system, with one delegate saying he was being "gagged".

Mr Brown was once seen as an automatic choice to succeed Blair but could now face a fight for the top job. Potential challengers will be canvassing for support at the conference, which ends on Thursday.

Mr Brown, a Scot who lacks Mr Blair's charisma, must prove to doubters in Labour that he has the personality and vision to win wavering voters when he speaks to the rally today.