Prime Minister Tony Blair won the backing of his Labour Party to keep British troops in Iraq, avoiding a humiliating defeat that would have undermined his premiership.
Although resentment over the war still simmers among delegates, Blair emerged from his party's five-day convention scratched but intact, and looking ahead to national elections expected next year.
Blair also ended months of speculation about his leadership future by announcing that he intends to serve a full third term if his party is re-elected. He stressed he would not seek a fourth term.
Labour members voted over-whelmingly Thursday on a show of hands to support the government's position that its troops were in Iraq with the backing of the UN and the agreement of the interim Iraqi government.
More than 85 percent of delegates voted to overturn a grass-roots motion that demanded Blair set an early date for withdrawing British troops. A defeat would not have altered government policy, but would have been an embarrassing blow to Blair, who has battled to unite his party and focus on winning a third term in power.
"I know that there are those in this party and in our country that opposed our intervention in Iraq. I respect their opinion," Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon told the conference in a closing day debate on Britain's role in Iraq.
"But whatever your views, we must now work to defeat terrorism. Now is the time to unite, to help the Iraqi people rebuild their country, their economy, their way of life," he said.
The conference in the southern resort of Brighton was intended as a springboard for national elections, widely expected next May. Ministers announced a plethora of new policies they hope will appeal to the electorate: an increase in affordable childcare provision; longer maternity leave; and more community officers to support police.
But, like last year, the conference was overshadowed by the war.
Thursday's vote was an important show of support for Blair, whose popularity has nose-dived since backing the US-led war.
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