Blair risks anger of backbenchers with programme to secure legacy

Tony Blair sought to secure his political legacy by unveiling a long list of public service reforms and anti-crime measures he hopes to push through Parliament before he stands down as Prime Minister.

Tony Blair sought to secure his political legacy by unveiling a long list of public service reforms and anti-crime measures he hopes to push through Parliament before he stands down as Prime Minister.

Although aides denied he was presenting his last Queen's Speech, many MPs saw the 45 Bills as his likely swansong. The parliamentary session that opened yesterday will run until October next year, around the time when some cabinet ministers expect Mr Blair to leave Downing Street. The length of his remaining tenure may depend on whether he can avoid defeat at the hands of his own MPs on the controversial measures in the Labour programme. The five most likely flashpoints are curbs on incapacity benefit; an expansion of city academies, independent state schools run and partly financed by private operators; the introduction of identity cards; a new anti-terrorism law and another clampdown on asylum and economic migration.

Although ministers called on Labour MPs to back the plans because they were included in the party's election manifesto, there were signs of the Government adopting a more conciliatory approach towards its backbench critics. They promised to "consult more and listen more" in a recognition that a rebellion by just 34 Labour MPs could wipe out Mr Blair's reduced majority of 67.

The new approach means that Mr Blair may be forced to make concessions to rebel MPs to avoid a series of debilitating defeats in the Commons that could fatally weaken his position.

The aim will be to woo "soft rebels" and isolate the hardliners who called for him to stand down within days of him winning an historic third term as Labour Prime Minister.

One Blair aide said: "We live in different times; we have to respond to that. We are determined to implement the manifesto. If that means some fine-tuning, so be it."

In turn, some of the Labour rebels may soften their opposition to identity cards - the issue which is expected to be the first test of their loyalty in the next few weeks - in return for concessions elsewhere. However, they are wary of walking into what they see as a "trap".

After 20 left-wingers met to discuss their tactics last night, one said: "There was a lot of anger about the reforms. But we're not going to play the Government's game. We'll take it issue by issue."

In the Commons, an upbeat Mr Blair described his platform as "quintessentially New Labour" and, perhaps with his legacy in mind, rattled off a list of his Government's achievements since 1997.

The Prime Minister said: "There is a lot to do, but much progress has been made in the last eight years. The Queen's Speech shows this Government's renewed energy, purpose and ambition to build on the achievements so far, to move faster and further in the direction the country wants in our public services, in reform of the welfare state, in tackling crime and antisocial behaviour. It is what the country voted for."

Mr Blair sidestepped a question from Alex Salmond, the leader of the Scottish National Party, over whether he still intended to serve a "full term" as Prime Minister, as he said during the election campaign.

He has stopped using the phrase since, fuelling speculation that he may quit in 2006 or 2007, earlier than he originally intended in 2008.

The unusually long list of Bills before the House was designed to scotch the idea that Mr Blair had run out of steam. Ministers trumpeted the twin themes of "reform and respect" - improvements to education, health and welfare and new measures to combat anti-social behaviour.

But civil liberties groups accused the Government of resorting to another series of draconian laws.

Shami Chakrabarti, the director of Liberty, said: "More tough talk and bad law in a Queen's Speech reveals a chronic lack of respect for our democratic traditions.

"No positive vision of society was ever built upon compulsory identity cards and ever-broader criminal offences. MPs from across the political spectrum should oppose such measures - whether in defence of freedom or social justice."

Charles Kennedy, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, said: "Where we see Labour politicians reconfirmed on such a marginal mandate introducing illiberal measures, they could be assured that they will receive a liberal response from these benches for the good and the quality of our politics as a whole."

In a break with tradition, Mr Kennedy warned that when measures such as identity cards and anti-terror laws reached the House of Lords the Government could not rely upon the 60-year-old Salisbury convention, under which the House of Lords does not oppose manifesto pledges, on the grounds that Labour had won such a small share of the vote.

Michael Howard, the Conservative leader, accused Mr Blair of adopting four of the five themes on which the Tories fought the election - controlled immigration, school discipline, cleaner hospitals and police. "We had no idea he was thinking what we're thinking," he said. "The only one of the five that's missing is lower taxes. I wonder why."

Ian McCartney, the Labour chairman, said: "This is very much a Labour agenda backed by Labour Party members. Every part of this legislative programme is rooted in our election manifesto which was agreed unanimously by the party and endorsed by Labour voters in the election.

"It is an ambitious list of measures. Labour Party members and supporters now expect Labour MPs to get on with the job of delivering our election promises."