Shadow chancellor Michael Portillo described the result as disappointing but called for a period of reflection.

BBC: Labour romps home again

Shadow chancellor Michael Portillo backed the measures to reduce benefit fraud, but accused the government of having missed its targets for combating welfare fraud every year since it came to office.

BBC: You are in: UK Politics

However, the conference also revealed divisions between the hardline stance of Shadow Home Secretary Ann Widdecome, a conference favourite, and Shadow Chancellor Michael Portillo, whose more libertarian approach did not go down so well with conference delegates.

BBC: Labour takes Hague to task