Brown shares vision with CBI of Britain at heart of Europe
bid to highlight tories’ euro hostility
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BRITAIN must put itself at the heart of Europe to protect jobs and support economic growth, Gordon Brown insisted yesterday.
In thinly-veiled criticism of the Tories, he said retreating to the European sidelines would deal a “devastating blow” to UK business.
He told business leaders at the CBI conference in London he was spearheading demands for a Europe-wide economic growth strategy.
Seeking to exploit the Tories’ hostility towards the European Union, he said UK growth was entwined with that of the Continent.
“It is by putting Britain not on the fringes of Europe, but at its heart, that Britain can protect its interests within Europe, and shape the future of Europe from a position of strength,” he said.
He said higher European growth would create thousands of new British jobs.
And he expressed frustration with the recent focus on EU “personalities” – referring to the controversial appointments of the new president and foreign minister of the European Council.
Mr Brown was the first of the three main party leaders – followed by Liberal Democrat chief Nick Clegg and then Tory leader David Cameron – to set out his stall before the CBI yesterday morning.
The prime minister also struck an upbeat note about the potential for UK growth after the recession.
“I’m optimistic about the high valued-added products and services we are ready to offer the world – and the leading positions we have in industries which are relevant to the future, such as business and financial services, advanced manufacturing, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, aviation, our creative industries, and our higher education,” he said.
China
He wanted to see “thousands” of Chinese firms working in the UK, rather than the current level of 400. “In our new growth strategy, I want not just hundreds but thousands of Chinese companies in Britain and British companies in China,” he said.
He also set out a vision of high-speed rail links from Britain reaching further into western European cities such as Amsterdam and Cologne.
And these links would “start not just in London but in the north of our country,” he added, saying journey times between Scotland and London could come down to under three hours.
