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| PM hails UK tourism opportunities | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said Britain must be a leader in the "new type of world economy", as his cabinet held a meeting in Liverpool. | |
| He told the city's tourism executives Liverpool's regeneration "shows what can be done for the future". | |
| British tourism must grasp the "huge opportunities" ahead, Mr Brown said. | |
| The Liberal Democrats said Mr Brown's "hollow words" would not reassure British hoteliers and bed and breakfasts facing bankruptcy. | |
| Mr Brown and his top team are in Liverpool for the third cabinet meeting to be held outside London since September. | |
| 'Hypothetical debate' | |
| They are expected to discuss the Bank of England's decision to cut interest rates to an all time low of 1.5%. | |
| Chief Secretary to the Treasury Yvette Cooper told the BBC that while a lot of people were on fixed rate mortgages - four million mortgage holders had already benefitted from rate cuts, as well as the banks. | |
| But she said stories that the government was planning to boost the money supply were part of a "hypothetical debate". | |
| We are in difficult world times, I don't think anybody is in any doubt about that Gordon Brown | |
| "This is not the issue here right now, of course in America where interest rates are much lower they have been looking at different ways to support the economy with interest rates near to zero. But that's not the position we are in here or elsewhere in Europe." | |
| She said the government was looking at "different ways" to increase bank lending and get money into the economy, for example through tax cuts and public investment. | |
| The prime minister is on a tour of the English regions and Wales to explain how the government is handling the downturn. | |
| Ahead of the cabinet meeting, ministers gathered for a "listening" event with about 200 Liverpool residents. | |
| 'Future investment' | 'Future investment' |
| And Mr Brown told a meeting of tourism chiefs at Liverpool's Arena and Convention Centre Liverpool's regeneration was an example of how British tourism could benefit from burgeoning world tourism, as economies such as China and India develop. | |
| He said four million British jobs depended on tourism, which generated £115bn a year: "This is a great industry, millions of jobs depend on it and it creates a huge amount of wealth for our country and I believe it can be even greater in the future." | |
| He predicted the world economy would double in 20 years and added: "We are in difficult world times, I don't think anybody is in any doubt about that. | |
| "We are seeing the birth of a new type of world economy and we have got to be the leaders of it." | |
| Rather than taking advantage of the weakened pound to increase the number of foreign tourists, the government has decided to cut the budget for overseas advertising further Don FosterLiberal Democrats class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/7815723.stm">Brown tour: View from the regions | |
| Downing Street has confirmed Mr Brown will discuss the economic crisis with US Federal Reserve governor Ben Bernanke and German chancellor Angela Merkel in meetings in London and Berlin next week. | |
| Earlier Business Secretary Lord Mandelson announced a £35m start-up programme for the North West region to help get new companies off the ground, telling a business meeting in Salford. | |
| Chancellor Alistair Darling held a breakfast meeting with regional business leaders in Liverpool, as Mr Brown toured the city's regenerated docks area. | Chancellor Alistair Darling held a breakfast meeting with regional business leaders in Liverpool, as Mr Brown toured the city's regenerated docks area. |
| The prime minister, accompanied by Culture Secretary Andy Burnham and North West Minister Beverley Hughes, took a boat ride around the Marina and the Albert Dock. | The prime minister, accompanied by Culture Secretary Andy Burnham and North West Minister Beverley Hughes, took a boat ride around the Marina and the Albert Dock. |
| Jaguar campaign | |
| Mr Brown was also shown around the Museum of Liverpool, which is under construction. | Mr Brown was also shown around the Museum of Liverpool, which is under construction. |
| The ministers were escorted around by TV writer Phil Redmond, creator of the TV series Hollyoaks and Brookside, and one of the main organisers of the city's year as European Capital of Culture. | The ministers were escorted around by TV writer Phil Redmond, creator of the TV series Hollyoaks and Brookside, and one of the main organisers of the city's year as European Capital of Culture. |
| Representatives from Jaguar Land Rover were among those at the meeting hosted by the chancellor. | Representatives from Jaguar Land Rover were among those at the meeting hosted by the chancellor. |
| Mr Brown met Rolls-Royce apprentices in Derby at the start of the trip | |
| Mr Darling was asked to support a campaign calling on the government to provide a short-term loan or provide loan guarantees to the car maker, which employs 2,200 in Merseyside and 13,000 in the West Midlands. | Mr Darling was asked to support a campaign calling on the government to provide a short-term loan or provide loan guarantees to the car maker, which employs 2,200 in Merseyside and 13,000 in the West Midlands. |
| Mr Darling said: "The car industry, Jaguar, GM, are very important to the North West, to the whole country. | Mr Darling said: "The car industry, Jaguar, GM, are very important to the North West, to the whole country. |
| "We are in constant touch with the industry, we will do whatever we can to support it." | "We are in constant touch with the industry, we will do whatever we can to support it." |
| He also said he would do "whatever necessary" to get banks lending again. | He also said he would do "whatever necessary" to get banks lending again. |
| "We do face difficult times but what is encouraging is that governments across the world are showing they are prepared to take action to help people," he said. | "We do face difficult times but what is encouraging is that governments across the world are showing they are prepared to take action to help people," he said. |
| Responding to Mr Brown's speech, Liberal Democrat spokesman Don Foster said: "Gordon Brown's hollow words will do little to reassure the huge number of Britain's hoteliers and B&B owners facing bankruptcy. | |
| "Rather than taking advantage of the weakened pound to increase the number of foreign tourists, the government has decided to cut the budget for overseas advertising further. | |
| "This will end up costing even more jobs in this vital sector." | |
| The regional tour is one of several trips the prime minister has been on around Britain in the past few months. Last year the cabinet met in Birmingham and Leeds; before that the last time it had met outside London or Chequers was 1921. | |
| Questions have been raised over the cost of holding meetings outside London, after it emerged West Yorkshire Police had spent £138,000 on security for the second cabinet meeting in Leeds. | |
| But Downing Street believes it is a "worthwhile investment" to have the cabinet hearing people's views in different parts of the country. | |
| Is Gordon Brown visiting your area? Is the company you work for expecting a visit? What do you think about his tour? | |
Is Gordon Brown visiting your area? Is the company you work for expecting a visit? What do you think about his tour? | |
| Send us your comments: | Send us your comments: |