Brown to Congress: We can outlaw tax havens

Wednesday, 4 March 2009 5:06 PM

By politics.co.uk staff

Gordon Brown has delivered a historic speech to both Houses of Congress in Washington, using the event to call for international cooperation to outlaw tax havens and create a new international regulatory framework.

Click here a minute-by-minute account of the event on politics.co.uk's as-it-happens page.

"When the strong help the weak, it makes us all stronger," he said, in a speech which played heavily on the moral lessons given to him by his Presbyterian minister father.

"Wherever there is suffering, we will never pass by on the other side."

Mr Brown also called for a coordinated attempt to create education systems in the developing world and action on climate change. But his primary focus was the G20 summit in London next month, where the prime minister is hoping to establish a global New Deal.

"Let me say that you now have the most pro-American European leadership in living memory," he will say.

"A leadership that wants to cooperate more closely together, in order to be a stronger partner for you. There is no old Europe, no new Europe, there is only your friend Europe," he said.

"So once again I say we should seize the moment - because never before have I seen a world so willing to come together. Never before has that been more needed."#

But the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats both pointed to the lack of concrete policy proposals in the speech.

"Gordon Brown seemed to offer a lot of warm words but very few hard plans to fight the recession which has engulfed the world economy and his government," said Liberal Democrat deputy leader Vince Cable.

"Rather than trying to shore up his reputation in America, he should be focusing his attention on fixing the mess we face back home."

Mr Brown is the fifth UK prime minister to address both Houses of Congress, following in the footsteps of Winston Churchill, Clement Attlee, Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair.

Back home, the prime minister is still holding his own against calls for him to apologise over the government's actions in the run up to the financial crisis.

"I think there is always a need for humility and there's always a need to accept collective responsibility," he told the BBC earlier.

"I don't think I would run away from responsibility for what happens."

Mr Brown will fly back to the UK tonight. His grand press conference yesterday with President Obama was reduced to a 20 minute session with around 40 journalists, but the two leaders appeared increasingly comfortable together.

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