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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Brown makes first visit to Iraq | Brown makes first visit to Iraq |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Chancellor Gordon Brown is making his first visit to Iraq and has promised an extra £100m ($188m) over three years to help rebuild the country's economy. | |
| After meeting UK troops near Basra, he praised their "tremendous morale" and the "work they have been doing in often very difficult circumstances". | After meeting UK troops near Basra, he praised their "tremendous morale" and the "work they have been doing in often very difficult circumstances". |
| Mr Brown is expected to discuss Iraq's economy with senior ministers. | Mr Brown is expected to discuss Iraq's economy with senior ministers. |
| Earlier, Tony Blair publicly agreed that violence in Iraq since the US-led 2003 invasion had been a "disaster". | Earlier, Tony Blair publicly agreed that violence in Iraq since the US-led 2003 invasion had been a "disaster". |
| 'Security and prosperity' | 'Security and prosperity' |
| Mr Brown, whose visit had been kept secret, said: "What I'm saying today is we could provide an extra £100m over the next three years to help with the economic regeneration programme." | Mr Brown, whose visit had been kept secret, said: "What I'm saying today is we could provide an extra £100m over the next three years to help with the economic regeneration programme." |
| Earlier, he said he was in Iraq to "see and pay tribute to the important work our forces are doing", and to meet Iraqi ministers to discuss the "challenges ahead". | |
| It's not difficult because of some accident in planning... It's difficult because there's a deliberate strategy Tony Blair Blair accepts Iraq 'disaster' | |
| "We are committed to supporting the Iraqis in building a democratic nation which brings security and prosperity to its people and plays a full part in the region and the world economy," he said. | |
| Mr Brown - the favourite to succeed Mr Blair as prime minister - is seen as keen to increase his profile outside his Treasury brief. | Mr Brown - the favourite to succeed Mr Blair as prime minister - is seen as keen to increase his profile outside his Treasury brief. |
| Travelling with the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, he will meet Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Barham Saleh. | |
| The UK has 7,200 troops in the south of the country, mostly stationed in and around Basra, but the city remains dangerous with factions battling each other for control. | The UK has 7,200 troops in the south of the country, mostly stationed in and around Basra, but the city remains dangerous with factions battling each other for control. |
| A senior British policeman advising the Iraqi police force has said large numbers of officers may have to be replaced to get rid of militia influence. | |
| Assistant Chief Constable Dick Barton told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The police service at the moment here is a tricky problem for us. | |
| "We are looking at them in terms of 'What can we do best for them to bring them to a good enough standard?' | "We are looking at them in terms of 'What can we do best for them to bring them to a good enough standard?' |
| "What we are not trying to do is recreate a Western police force and, quite frankly, I don't think we would ever reach that, no matter how long we stayed here. The culture difference is so great." | "What we are not trying to do is recreate a Western police force and, quite frankly, I don't think we would ever reach that, no matter how long we stayed here. The culture difference is so great." |
| Blair interview | |
| Earlier, Mr Blair was asked by Sir David Frost in an interview on the new al-Jazeera English-language Arabic TV channel about the situation in Iraq. | |
| When asked whether violence in Iraq since 2003 had "so far been pretty much of a disaster", the prime minister replied: "It has, but you see what I say to people is why is it difficult in Iraq? | |
| "It's not difficult because of some accident in planning. | |
| "It's difficult because there's a deliberate strategy - al-Qaeda with Sunni insurgents on one hand, Iranian-backed elements with Shia militias on the other - to create a situation in which the will of the majority for peace is displaced by the will of the minority for war." | |
| The Liberal Democrats said Mr Blair had finally accepted the enormity of his decision to go to war in Iraq. | |
| But Downing Street insisted his views had been misrepresented and that he had not made "some kind of admission". | |
| A spokeswoman said: "He was simply acknowledging the question in a polite way before going on to explain his view. | |
| "To portray it as some kind of admission is completely disingenuous." |