PRIME Minister Gordon Brown spoke for nearly half an hour without a script at the Scottish TUC congress on Monday without directly addressing the biggest issue dogging his government.
His only reference to the tax change hitting those on the lowest incomes was to observe that there has been a "debate" on the 10p tax band.
Instead, Brown congratulated the STUC on its partnership with the Labour government and declared that this had been important in addressing poverty.
"As a result of what we've done since 1997, three million families with children are £80 a week better off. And two million pensioners are £40 a week better off," he boasted.
On the global economic crisis, Brown argued that the £50 billion bail-out for the banks announced on Monday would get markets working again.
"We will make sure there is enough liquidity in the economy so we can continue to lend money for businesses and lend money for people to buy their own houses," he claimed.
On two issues of specific importance to the STUC, Mr Brown had warm words.
"Because exploitation is unacceptable in any form, I want an agreement for agency workers. Because any form of asbestos and mesothelioma is unacceptable, we will take action on pleural plaques," the Prime Minister pledged.
Without mentioning the SNP government in Scotland or First Minister Alex Salmond, who is due to address congress on Tuesday, in his speech, Mr Brown went on to make the case for the union.
He insisted that he believed in solidarity between Scotland, England, Wales and across the whole of Britain.
"We achieve more working together across the UK than we would achieve by splitting ouselves apart," he argued.
Saying that he was determined that orders for aircraft carriers would come to the Clyde and Rosyth, Mr Brown asked: "Are we held back by being part of Britain? Shipbuilding is stronger in Scotland because we are part of Britain."
The Prime Minister also argued that 100,000 of Scotland's 120,000 financial services jobs depended on selling services to England.
"Take that away and you would lose thousands of jobs," the Prime Minister warned.
Mr Brown was received politely by delegates, though, as expected, there was no standing ovation.
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