Brown launches 'recovery' website

Mr Brown said Britain had to work together to get through the recession

The government is promoting its efforts to help the British economy through the recession with its own version of US President Obama's "recovery" website.

Gordon Brown referred to the "real help now" website - listing action being taken around Britain - as the cabinet met in Southampton.

He also announced 21,000 public sector apprenticeships were being created.

But David Cameron said the economic help had achieved little and borrowing was nearing "dangerously high" levels.

The Conservative leader told Channel 4 News that November's cut in VAT - one of the centrepieces of Labour's recovery plan - was "nuts" and had done nothing to help consumer confidence.

In other developments, ministers have rejected calls from van maker LDV for further financial support but said Northern Rock would revive its mortgage arm with up to £14bn in new loans.

'Proper interaction'

Mr Brown mentioned the UK's "real help now" website as he addressed an audience in Southampton as the cabinet met outside London for the fourth time - following visits to Leeds, Liverpool and Birmingham.

The prime minister said the purpose of the visit was to get a "proper interaction" and hear people's views outside London.

He told the audience: "We are facing something quite extraordinary, a global banking crisis, the banks of the world for the first time have seized up and we have got to unblock that.

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"We have got to make sure that credit can flow to businesses, that mortgages are available for families and that people who depend on banks for their savings and security can once again feel they can trust the banks in this country and of course trust the banks in every country of the world."

He said international action was needed but the government was also trying to provide help in Britain, for example by boosting mortgage help and the construction industry and help for those who have lost their jobs.

"Britain always works best when Britain works together and I believe that through this downturn we have got to show that we can work together," he said adding the website "spelt out" in one place all the government help available.

It also includes Mr Brown's explanation of how the current crisis had occurred - likening an economy without a functioning banking system to a house without electricity.

US President Barack Obama launched his "recovery" website as part of his economic plan, which he says aims to show the American people where their money is going.

Last week CBI director Richard Lambert said President Obama's website was an "excellent template" and called for a UK version to be created to "give the public and businesses a much clearer idea of what is being done".

No 10 confirmed the site's launch, saying the idea behind it was to enable people to find details of all the support it was giving workers, employers and homeowners "in one place".

'Lending discipline'

Meanwhile Liberal Democrats Treasury spokesman Vince Cable said, by announcing Northern Rock was to increase lending, the government had "put the cart before the horse".

He told the BBC: "The rules have got to be set out first, for mortgage lending, before Northern Rock is let off the leash."

He added: "There has got to be a set of rules and principles for future mortgage lending, so we don't have the excesses of the past."
During their visits in the Southampton area ministers highlighted 21,000 new apprenticeships from April in hospitals, schools and local government at the start of National Apprenticeships Week.

But the Conservatives predict the government will miss its target of 130,000 apprenticeships being completed every year by 2010-11, a claim the government disputes.

Gordon Brown wants one in five young people in apprenticeships by 2018, as part of a drive to win the global "skills race".

The Conservatives have accused him of announcing new apprenticeships "every few months" but say those of A-Level standard "linked to a real employer" have fallen.