Gordon Brown has signalled his commitment to implementing the Good Friday agreement if he moves into Number 10.

The chancellor's comments came after he held talks in Ulster with the main political leaders.

Peace and prosperity must move forward together in Northern Ireland, he told reporters after the talks.

Brown said the November 24 deadline for restoring the power-sharing executive was "important to the whole government".

And the chancellor said he had told the parties of "the importance we attach to the Good Friday agreement and the meeting of the deadline in November".

"This is a real deadline, and a deadline that we expect to be met," he said.

"I also said to all of them that the principles underlying the Good Friday agreement were those that the government supported and continued to support."

Brown said he had told political leaders that the government was "determined to move forward to restore the Executive."

"I think you'll find that what I said to every political party will continue to be consistent," he added.

The chancellor also held out the prospect of extra government cash to make the most of any further peace dividend following the restoration of devolution.

He said there would be "constructive talks" on the next spending review, but warned there would have to be further public sector reform.

"We will look at how we can create a stronger private enterprise economy here in Northern Ireland and what we can do to support it," Brown said.

"I believe we can all work together to build that strength and that will mean more jobs, more prosperity, more investment in future.

"But that will depend upon peace and prosperity moving forward together and whatever we can do from the Treasury to make a contribution to that, we will continue to do."