Delegates have been given the opportunity to quiz the Prime Minister in a question and answer session hosted by broadcaster Mariella Frostrup.

To watch the session click here>>

Members grabbed the chance to raise local, national and international issues with Gordon Brown, who set out his thinking across a wide range of policy areas.

Amidst the number of questions from delegates and from visitors to our website, the Prime Minister spoke of the need to continue to reach out to the British people and those who share our party’s values, even if they had supported other parties in the past.

The Prime Minister said:

“Maybe it’s because I’m the son of a minister of the Church, my father always taught me that you had to reach out to people and you had to bring people in wherever you could, encourage them and then persuade them to support your views.

“So, I will continue with the policy of reaching out. Reaching out to those people who share our views, who believe in a society built on working hard, playing by the rules, fair play, people who believe in our views about British values, people who may have voted for – indeed are members of other political parties – but now see that the future of this country requires a government that stands for these values.

“And I believe that everybody here will want us to continue to reach out to anybody who shares our values and say, ‘Join us, work with us, share with us in building a stronger, fairer Britain for the future’.”

Gordon also spoke about the situation in Burma – an issue at the forefront of delegates’ minds during this Conference week. The Prime Minister talked of his admiration for Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been under house arrest in Burma for so long and her courage in standing up for human rights and democracy:

“The whole world is watching Burma now and the age of impunity for anyone in that regime who commits crimes against individuals or the people of Burma, that age of impunity is over.

“I would like to see all the pressures of the world put upon this regime now. Sanctions, the pressure of the UN, pressure from China and all the countries in the region, India, pressure from the whole of the world. I believe that the message that is being sent out now that there will be further sanctions, there will be no impunity for those people who commit crimes in Burma against the people of Burma and if we can send the message today, from this conference, that we support Aung San Suu Kyi and all those people fighting for democracy against this illegitimate and repressive regime, then I think that is another sign that the world will not stand by and that this regime is under so much pressure now from all opinions throughout all the world.”