Labour's deputy leader has claimed the party has avoided factionalism as he closed a conference which has been mired in shadow cabinet splits over the renewal of Trident nuclear weapons.

Tom Watson insisted MPs have had different opinions but "remained friends" and "stuck to a common position" as Jeremy Corbyn became embroiled in a row with shadow defence secretary Maria Eagle over Trident renewal.

The Labour leader has said he would not fire a nuclear weapon and did not want to renew Trident, a position described by Ms Eagle as "unhelpful" for a future prime minister.

But Mr Watson claimed the party "speaks with one voice".

Before Mr Corbyn and delegates brought the party conference to a close with traditional renditions of Labour anthem the Red Flag and hymn Jerusalem, Mr Watson said: "It would have been easy for us to have slid into factionalism this week.

"The media would have loved that but we didn't do it.

"We've shown that we can have different opinions, and argue for them passionately, but remain friends.

"It's what normal people do in the real world and they do all the time - how often have you disagreed with colleagues at work, had a bit of an argument, but stuck to a common position? It's called working together.

"And how often does your family put its differences aside so the whole family can face the world together? It's called solidarity.

"And how obvious is it that what unites us as a party is far more than what divides? It's called unity.

"From unity comes strength. That's why we're stronger now, as we prepare to leave Brighton, than we were when we arrived.

"We speak with one voice, we are one Labour."

Mr Watson said party members will be given a voice in "big decisions" as he praised Mr Corbyn as the "people's choice" for leader and therefore the correct choice.

The deputy leader said: "Yesterday in his speech Jeremy poked fun at the pundits, as well he might, he wasn't the pundits' choice, after all.

"He was the people's choice, the members whose party this really is and let's be clear because he's the people's choice, he's the right choice.

"He wants to reciprocate the trust of our members.

"Our party was founded as a democracy but over the years we began to think the leadership knows best.

"Well that was wrong, it didn't and that's why the old days of central command and control are now gone.

"Jeremy and I will give Labour back to its members because the party is the membership.

"The shadow cabinet and leadership are just privileged servants of the 600,000.

"All those members will be part of the big decisions we have to make."

Mr Watson issued a rallying call to party members and supporters to start persuading voters to back Labour over the "nasty Tories" as the Brighton gathering drew to a close.

He said: "Ten minutes of Tory government is too much. Ten years is a nightmare that our people can't afford. So now we've had our summer of introspection, let's get back out into the country and start talking to people.

"Let's get out onto every street in every suburb of Britain and start listening to people.

"Then let's harness the power of the great movement we've always been and let's kick these nasty Tories down the road where they belong."