UK Prime Minister Lead Summit to Safe the UK Jobs

Monday, January 12, 2008. Gordon Brown is to host talks with business and union leaders about measures aimed at safeguarding jobs during the downturn.

With 1.8 million people out of work, the prime minister is expected to warn that a failure to act now will mean a deeper and longer recession.

Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell will also give details on a plot to help the long-term unemployed.

The Tories have dismissed the meeting as an exercise in spin.

BBC political correspondent Carole Walker said the prime minister will pledge “this will not happen on my watch”.

To combat that Mr Brown will set out plans to prepare Britain for growth in sectors such as environmental technology, advanced manufacturing, health care and education.

As part of the summit Mr Purnell will give details of a £500m scheme to help people who have been out of work for more than six months.

The government will hear from small business leaders – the Federation of Small Business has launched a five-point plot which it says could make up to 400,000 new jobs.

Measures it is calling for include the promotion of part-time working, simplified regulation and less taxes.

It also wants to see more investment in apprenticeships, and greater opportunity for small firms to bid for government contracts.

Union leaders at the summit will propose more training and job creation programmes, while environmental campaigners want greater investment in energy efficiency.

The Conservatives are dismissing the event as more spin than substance, designed they say to cover up the fact that Mr Brown’s recession policies are not working.

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Tags: conservatives, federation of small business, Financial News, gordon brown, less taxes, longer recession, safeguard jobs, UK prime minister, union leaders, work and pensions secretary