US PRESIDENT Barack Obama arrives in London today ahead of a G20 summit which British prime minister Gordon Brown insists will “rise to the challenge” of the global economic crisis.
Buoyed by the American president’s promise that “there is going to be an accord that G20 countries will do what is necessary to promote trade and growth”, Mr Brown declared: “I believe the world will rise to the challenge and defeat those who say doing nothing is an option and defeat those who say protectionism is an option.”
That barbed “do nothing” swipe at the Conservatives was a reminder of Mr Brown’s political preoccupations ahead of a G20 he had hoped might be the stimulus for chancellor Alistair Darling’s April budget and Labour’s successful re-engagement with British voters as Mr Brown heads into a general election year.
Conservative leader David Cameron, meanwhile, declared himself “delighted” to be meeting Mr Obama during his three-day London visit – a concession senior Tories believe underlines Washington’s assessment of Mr Cameron as a serious contender for power.
Describing Mr Obama as an “incredible man” and an “incredible politician”, Mr Cameron said their meeting tomorrow would give his team the opportunity to discuss a range of issues of importance to both countries. After seeming to play down expectations for Thursday’s summit, Mr Brown spoke yesterday of serious work still to be done over the next few days if the G20 leaders were to “forge the new consensus necessary to put the world economy on a path back to recovery”.
With transatlantic tensions eased by Mr Obama’s emphasis on a “both/and” rather than an “either/or” approach to the need for fiscal stimulus and a new era of financial and banking regulation, Mr Brown also insisted Thursday’s agenda extends beyond “the narrow issue of fiscal policy” to “the wider range of actions” necessary to stimulate the global economy.
At the same time Downing Street echoed Mr Darling’s view of this summit “very much as a process, rather than an individual meeting”, while confirming the prime minister saw merit in Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi’s suggestion that G20 leaders might meet again following the scheduled G8 summit in Sardinia in July.
Mr Obama and his wife Michelle will have a private audience with Queen Elizabeth tomorrow ahead of a Buckingham Palace reception for the G20 leaders to be followed by a Downing Street dinner cooked by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver.
With the City of London in particular braced for a series of “direct action” protests which police fear may spill over into violence, British church leaders have urged the G20 leaders not to forget their commitment to the world’s poorest people.
