PM's wife backs her husband even if the country doesn't

Gordon Brown today pinned his hopes of political survival on an appeal to the 'squeezed middle classes' in his final conference speech before a general election.

The Prime Minister made a last-gasp plea to the vital middle-class vote as he insisted he had not run out of steam and was a leader for the future.

He accused the Conservatives of being heartless as he urged Labour to 'never, never stop believing' and unveiled a raft of new policies aimed at staving off political oblivion.

The hugely ambitious programme set out plans for free health care, free personal care for the elderly and a series of plans to address anti-social behaviour.

For the second year running, he was introduced by his wife Sarah. Her highly personal tribute, in which she described him as her 'hero', totally stole the limelight.

She admitted her husband was 'no saint' but insisted he would 'always, always' put British people first and was the right person to lead the country.

(PIC: Matt Sprake/NEWSPICS)