Making a surprise visit to Iraq, Gordon Brown has announced that the Basra province will be handed over to local control within two weeks.

The prime minister confirmed the news as he spoke to UK troops at Basra air station.

He had earlier held telephone talks with Iraqi leader Nouri Maliki.

"I have just talked to Prime Minister Maliki and he asked me to pass on his thanks to you for what you have done to help rebuild the democracy of Iraq," Brown told the soldiers.

"It's because of all the operations we have done over the past few months that the security situation has not only improved but he is now recommending we move to provincial Iraqi control within two weeks."

He added that "the great venture that started with all the difficulties we face, that cost causalities, means we have managed now to get Iraq into a far better position".

"Not that violence has ended but we are able to move to provincial Iraqi control and that's thanks to everything you have achieved."

The 4,500 remaining British troops are now set to focus their efforts on training local Iraqi forces.

"There are now 30,000 Iraqi police and armed forces. As a result of that we can move to provincial control over the next few weeks," said Brown.

Brown praised the British troops, saying they "have achieved great things during the course of the year".

"The whole British people are proud of everything you have achieved," he added.

Acting Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable said: "This is a reannouncement and doesn't change a great deal.

"Mr Brown must explain why so many troops are necessary for what is essentially a training mission.

"There is no justification for our continuing presence in Iraq given that the British armed forces are so overstretched. The government should set a timetable for the full withdrawal of British troops from Iraq."