GORDON BROWN made an extraordinary “don’t ditch me” appeal to his own MPs and activists yesterday, in a highly emotional conference speech in which his voice came close to cracking.

Battered by dismal polls and demands for a leadership contest, the Prime Minister took on his critics, urging them to recognise that only he had the experience and knowledge to guide Britain through the current economic crisis.

Mr Brown said the world had been “spun on its axis” by last week’s financial collapse, telling delegates: “We haven’t seen anything this big since the industrial revolution.”

And he said: “The British people would not forgive us if, at this time, we looked inwards to the affairs of just our party, when our duty is to the interests of our country.”

Later, he added: “I am all in favour of apprenticeships, but let me tell you this is no time for a novice.”

He was attacking shadow Chancellor George Osborne, but his true target may have been David Miliband – the young favourite to replace him.

There was an appeal to the rank-and-file to let him continue his work, as he told them: “Together we are building the fair society in this place and in this generation.”

Before he spoke, the Prime Minister was buoyed by a gaffe by Mr Miliband, who was allegedly overheard telling aides he had toned down his conference speech to avoid “a Heseltine moment”.

The Foreign Secretary denied making the remark – an apparent reference to barnstorming performances by Margaret Thatcher’s long-time rival, Michael Heseltine – but the episode was seen as damaging.

Mr Brown was under pressure to deliver “the speech of his life”, but the first half fell flat. He was visibly nervous, his language was clunky, and the applause was muted in return.

At one point – as he told the conference about the 240,000 lives saved by Labour’s advances in fighting cancer and heart disease – his voice was breaking with emotion and he banged the microphone askew.

The Prime Minister recovered his poise as he told how a teenage rugby injury nearly cost him his sight in both eyes – he is blind in his left – until the “miraculous difference” made by NHS doctors.

Mr Brown said: “My future was books on tape. But, thanks to the NHS, my sight was saved – by care my parents could never have afforded.”

There were a string of fresh policies, to illustrate the “real power of Labour to change lives”, including:

The abolition of the £7.10 prescription charge for patients fighting cancer – to be extended for all long-term conditions

Free universal check-ups for everyone over 40, from next April.

Free nursery places for two-year-olds, first in 30 communities.

A law committing Labour – and any future government – to meeting its pledge to end child poverty by 2020.

Personal “catch-up tuition” for every child leaving primary school unable to read, write and count.

Broadband in 1m homes where children had no internet access.

Focusing on the economy, the Prime Minister pledged to rein in the power of the City by making markets “the servants of the people and not their masters.” Eye-watering bonuses are under review.

Mr Brown heads to New York tomorrow in search of an international agreement to ensure “sound banking” and proper supervision, of capital flows.

Urging the party to take the fight to the Tories, the Prime Minister said: “Every single blow we have struck for fairness and for the future has been bitterly opposed by the Conservative party.

“Just think where our country would be if we'd listened to them. No paternity leave, no New Deal, no bank of England independence, no Sure Start, no devolution, no civil partnerships, no minimum wage, no new investment in the NHS, no new nurses, no new police, no new schools.

“And so let's hear no more from the Conservatives – we did fix the roof while the sun was shining.”

In a conference first, the Prime Minister was introduced by his wife, Sarah, who praised the way her husband was “motivated to work for the best interests of people all around the country”.

Although he did not often mention Tory leader David Cameron by name, Mr Brown made coded attacks by stressing he “didn’t come into politics to be a celebrity” and “haven’t served my children up for spreads in the papers”.

He even tried to cast himself as the rebel outsider, insisting: “I didn't come to London because I wanted to join the establishment, but because I wanted, and want, to change it.”

And there was an up-front apology for the 10p tax rate debacle, which he admitted had “stung me because it really hurt that suddenly people felt I wasn't on the side of people on middle and mod-est incomes”.

There would be no repeat, he pledged.

Mr Osborne hit back by accusing Mr Brown of “retreating to the left to save his job”, adding: “A divided government and a weak prime minister cannot lead the country out of a crisis.”

ROB MERRICK: PAGE 11