FORMER US President Bill Clinton and Tony Blair are likely to become two regular guys hanging out together, judging from comments from the former.

Mr Clinton, who addressed the Labour Party's conference in Manchester yesterday, was asked if he would miss Mr Blair after the Prime Minister stood down next year.

He replied: "Well, I hope I'm going to see him more.

"If I didn't see him, I would miss him."

In Manchester, it was almost like a close colleague delivering a retirement speech as Mr Clinton and Mr Blair shared a political stage for what could be the last time.

Congratulating Mr Blair and his Government on its "stunning success" in running the country, Mr Clinton said it was no accident that Britain had led the fight against climate change and tackled unemployment under Mr Blair's party.

Mr Clinton, who last addressed a Labour conference four years ago, was given a standing ovation as he stood up to speak, after being introduced by Mr Blair as "the one and only Bill Clinton".

Mr Clinton said: "I want to say a special thank you publicly to my friend, Tony Blair, for his leadership - his preservation of our old Atlantic alliance through quite a lot of storm, as well as occasional sunshine.

"I want to thank him for his personal friendship to me - through storm and sunshine.

"I want to thank Cherie and their children for their many kindnesses to Hilary and me and Chelsea and enduring the rigours of public life.

"I want to thank Gordon Brown for his brilliant economic leadership and the entire New Labour team for their support."

Leaving the conference centre with Mr Blair, Mr Clinton was asked who he wanted to succeed the Prime Minister.

He made it clear he was not backing away from his previous comment that Gordon Brown would make a good Prime Minister, saying: "I stand by what I said."