This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk_politics/8390901.stm

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Leaders clash on recession claim Tories seek PM recession apology
(about 2 hours later)
Gordon Brown has denied Conservative claims that the UK is the only leading world economy still in recession. The Conservatives have called on Gordon Brown to apologise for "misleading" MPs on the recession after heated exchanges at prime minister's questions.
During a stormy prime minister questions, Mr Brown said Spain was another member of the G20 nations - alongside the UK - still not in growth. Asked whether the UK was the only one of the G20 group of leading economies still in recession, Mr Brown said that Spain's economy was also contracting.
Spain is not listed as a G20 member on its website and the Treasury referred calls on the subject to No 10. The Tories said it was "simply not true" Spain was in the G20 and urged the PM to correct the "inaccuracy".
Tory leader David Cameron said all Labour's predictions on the length of the recession had been proved wrong. No 10 said that Spain had attended G20 meetings in the past.
Spain is a member of the G20 now and it is in recession now Gordon Brown class="" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/house_of_commons/newsid_8391000/8391090.stm?t=433s">PMQs: From BBC Democracy Live 'Simple question'
The clash came a week before the government's pre-Budget report, the last before next year's election. Spain is not listed as a G20 member on the organisation's website and the Treasury referred questions on the subject to No 10.
Mr Cameron challenged the prime minister to say when the economy would return to growth, saying other major countries had already emerged from it. The row began when Conservative leader David Cameron challenged Mr Brown to acknowledge recent reports he said showed the UK was the only leading world economy still in recession.
He asked the prime minister whether recent figures showed the UK was the last country in the G20 group of leading industrialised nations - regarded as the most powerful international economic forum - to come out of recession. Among the G20 group of leading industrialised nations - regarded as the most powerful international economic forum - the UK was the only one not to have returned to growth, Mr Cameron said.
Mr Brown said: "No they don't confirm that. Spain is a member of the G20 now and it is in recession now." Mr Brown denied this. "No they don't confirm that," he said. "Spain is a member of the G20 now and it is in recession now."
When faced with a simple and direct question, you chose to mislead the House of Commons Philip Hammond, shadow chief secretary to the Treasury
Spain is not officially a member of the G20 although it has been invited to attend key meetings, including the London summit on global economic recovery earlier this year.Spain is not officially a member of the G20 although it has been invited to attend key meetings, including the London summit on global economic recovery earlier this year.
The US, France and Germany are among major economies to return to growth in recent months. But the Conservatives said Mr Brown had made a mistake and should correct it as soon as possible.
The chancellor has said he expects the UK to return to growth at "the turn of the year". "When faced with a simple and direct question, you chose to mislead the House of Commons by stating that Spain is in the G20," said Philip Hammond, shadow chief secretary to the Treasury.
Mr Hammond noted that the Conservative leader, himself, apologised on Monday for getting his facts wrong over government funding for schools with alleged links to an Islamic group.
"I trust that you [Mr Brown] too will take the earliest opportunity on the floor of the House to apologise and amend the record," he added.
'1930s mindset''1930s mindset'
Mr Cameron said Labour's three main claims on the economy - that the UK was better prepared for the downturn, that it had "abolished boom and bust" and that the UK was "leading the world" out of recession - had been proved completely wrong. The US, France and Germany are among members of the G20 to return to growth in recent months.
Instead of leading the world, Britain had been "left behind", Mr Cameron added. The chancellor has said he expects the UK to emerge out of recession at "the turn of the year".
Spain is a member of the G20 now and it is in recession now Gordon Brown PMQs: From BBC Democracy Live Nick Robinson on PM's performance
In the Commons, Mr Cameron said Mr Brown's claim that the UK was "leading the world" out of recession had been proved completely wrong and Britain was actually being "left behind".
"The fact is it that it his policies which have given us the longest and deepest recession in our history," he said."The fact is it that it his policies which have given us the longest and deepest recession in our history," he said.
Mr Brown said the Tories had opposed a string of Labour policies that will help to shorten the recession, including bank rescues, the fiscal stimulus and support for jobs and mortgage holders. But Mr Brown said the Tories had opposed a string of Labour policies that would help to shorten the recession, including bank rescues, the fiscal stimulus and support for jobs and mortgage holders.
"They have been wrong on the recession. They will be wrong on the recovery," he said."They have been wrong on the recession. They will be wrong on the recovery," he said.
Attacking Mr Cameron's personal economic philosophy, he added: "The voice may be that of a modern public relations man. The mindset is that of the 1930s."Attacking Mr Cameron's personal economic philosophy, he added: "The voice may be that of a modern public relations man. The mindset is that of the 1930s."
The two leaders also clashed on Tory tax proposals, with Mr Brown insisting their plans to cut inheritance tax would help a small group of wealthy people. He also attacked the Conservatives' plans to increase the inheritance tax threshold, saying it appeared to have been drawn up "on the playing fields of Eton".
The clash came a week before the government's pre-Budget report, the last before next year's election.