PM defends economic record

Gordon Brown has defended his handling of the economy and insisted his government has the experience to steer the UK through the current global downturn.

 

The prime minister's comments came as the Conservatives pointed to polling that suggests a majority no longer trust the former chancellor during the uncertain economic climate.

 

Brown is preparing to host a Tuesday morning breakfast meeting with leading figures from the City of London at Number 10.

 

His spokesman said that the prime minister was interested in their analysis of the global financial situation before he flies to the US for talks on Wall Street on Wednesday.

 

On the London mayoral campaign with Ken Livingstone, Brown said he had had to steer the economy through a number of difficulties over the past 11 years and he would continue to do so.

 

He said: "If people ask the question 'will the British economy come through this?', we're on the side of homeowners and businesses who are looking to see what is going to happen in the future and that's why we are taking exactly the right decisions and we'll continue to do so.

 

"We're listening to what the people of this country say to keep inflation low and therefore, interest rates low, to make sure we do everything in our power to create the conditions in which these low interest rates are passed on to mortgage holders and to businesses."

 

He said the country had been through difficult times in the past but he had shown that it was possible to get through them and he was "utterly satisfied" that he was taking the right steps.

 

He continued: "We are the only economy of the major economies that has continued to grow without a major recession in the last 10 years."