BRITAIN'S most powerful woman trade unionist Frances O'Grady called for a relationship of mutual respect with the Government yesterday, after the unions faced criticism from Alan Milburn.

The former Health Secretary had earlier sent out a stark message to union bosses, in an interview with The Northern Echo, saying it was "big grow-up time".

And the Darlington MP, who shocked Prime Minister Tony Blair by quitting the Cabinet in June, also urged Labour to draw inspiration from Margaret Thatcher in a bid to rediscover its "sense of purpose".

Ahead of next week's party conference, Mr Milburn said he expected a few delegates to inflict defeats on the Government, but added: "That's pretty hopeless - they have got to understand their history a bit more."

In response, the Deputy General Secretary of the TUC yesterday warned that it would support its seven million members as it saw fit on several key issues.

On a visit to Darlington, Mrs O'Grady said: "We know the Government has done a lot for working people.

"But there are real worries about what's happening in terms of pension schemes being closed down, the job losses in manufacturing and in equality - the gap between rich and poor must be tackled.

"There has to be a relationship of mutual respect. The Government has to govern the whole country, but we have a right and responsibility to speak up for the people we represent."

Mrs O'Grady was in the region to launch the new Tees Valley Trade Union Education Centre at Darlington College of Technology.

The college has provided training for 300 workers in the past year, by working closely with unions. Under new regulations, Union Learning Representatives must be given time off work to train in a variety of areas - from languages to computing - before passing their knowledge on to colleagues.

College-based TUC project worker, Linda Hughes, said: "It's an excellent idea to have a definite base which people can focus on as a TUC centre."