British Prime Minister Tony Blair onMonday set out his mission of his third term in office, saying he wanted to carry out bold reforms so as to build "an opportunity society" if he won the next general election widely expected next year.

"In the first two terms, we have successfully made radical improvements to the existing 20th century welfare state and publicservices," Blair said in a speech to the Institute of Public Policy Research and Demos in London.

"But now ... the third term vision has to be to alter fundamentally the contract between citizen and state," said the prime minister.

He said Britain had to move from a welfare state that relieved poverty and provided basic services to one that offered high quality services with much more social mobility.

His speech also trailed government proposals being published incoming months on a range of areas, including childcare, public health and adult skills.

The prime minister denied Britain was in decline, citing a record period of economic growth and employment.

One million people on incapacity benefit wanted to return to work, he said, and new results from pilot schemes showed it was possible.

Spending on "social failure" was down but it was right it had risen on pensions, child benefit and tax credits, he said.

Blair also said punishment alone would not solve the long-term problems of drug and alcohol abuse and a "whole new national infrastructure" was needed.

With its stress that there is much still to do, the speech is being seen as an fresh attempt to show Blair wants a full third term in office before standing down as prime minister.

Source: Xinhua