BRIGHTON, England (AFP) - Iraq loomed menacingly over the annual conference of Britain's governing Labour Party, spoiling the efforts of Prime Minister Tony Blair to focus minds on domestic issues ahead of an expected general election next year.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown was to deliver a keynote speech on the economy on Monday, warning against "irresponsible pre-election promises" that might upset Britain's ongoing run of prosperity.
"We must show at all times we have the discipline and strength to take the tough long-term fiscal and monetary decisions for Britain," the finance minister was to say, according to official extracts from his speech.
But it was clear that instability in Iraq -- and, especially, the uncertain fate of British engineer Kenneth Bigley at the hands of Islamic extremists who abducted him 11 days ago -- was overshadowing the first full day of the gathering in Brighton, a bohemian resort town on England's south coast.
In a setback for the prime minister, delegates voted Sunday to debate Iraq as part of a larger discussion on British foreign policy on Thursday, the final day of the conference.
That is the same day as a closely-watched by-election in the Labour stronghold of Hartlepool, northeast England, where voters could punish Blair for taking Britain into the US-led war to oust Saddam Hussein's regime.
Bigley was seized in Baghdad on September 16 by the Tawhid wal Jihad (Unity and Holy War) group, along with two US colleagues who were executed within days after demands for the release of women held in US-run Iraqi prisons were not met.
On Sunday, Bigley's brother Paul told participants at an anti-war fringe meeting in Brighton that he had received information the captive Briton was still alive, following an emotional series of pleas from his family over the past week.
But at the same time, Paul Bigley publicly criticised Blair for assuming a low profile during his brother's ordeal -- a charge that he reiterated Monday during a BBC radio interview.
"Mr Blair is a gentleman, he's a statesman if you like, but I'm afraid to say, his sell-by date has really gone," he said. "He has not got the credibility to negotiate the purchase of a bicycle."
Blair, keen to lead Labour to a third term in power in an election likely in May or June next year, had hoped that 18 months after the Iraq invasion, he would be able to refocus attention on domestic issues such as health care and education reform.
But political analysts say his prospects for re-election may yet hinge on what happens in Iraq -- not only with regards to insurgent attacks and hostage-takings, but also the outcome of Iraq's own polls next January.
Brown, widely seen as Blair's main rival within Labour, sought to project a sense of unity Monday on Iraq, telling Sky News television: "I think Tony Blair needs, and will have, our support in all the difficult times over Iraq."
Labour kicked off the conference on Sunday with party chairman Ian McCartney declaring: "This week we take the next steps on our journey towards a historic third term of Labour government" after victories of 1997 and 2001.