Brown seeks cross-border appeal

Mr Brown unveiled his vision for the country at the Labour conference

Chancellor Gordon Brown has told the Labour Party Conference that he is proud to be Scottish and British.

In his speech in Manchester, he said that shared British values were critical to economic and social success.

Earlier, Mr Brown told the BBC that Scotland would not lose out through his drive to appeal to Middle England.

The chancellor insisted his policies and ideas would benefit people across the whole of the UK.

'Shared purpose'

During his conference speech, he told delegates: "When I'm in Scotland some people say it's just to defeat today's Scottish nationalists, but I've spent all my political life defending the unity of Great Britain against narrow nationalism.

"When I'm in England some people say I talk about Britishness because I'm now embarrassed about being Scottish.

"Let me say I am proud to be Scottish and British."

Mr Brown said "valuing our shared purpose as a country" was as critical in this century as it was in the last "when we defeated fascism and built the NHS".

I don't romanticise my upbringing. But my parents were more than an influence Chancellor Gordon Brown

The chancellor's speech to the Labour conference was billed as the biggest of his career.

Earlier, Mr Brown told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme: "I'm proud to be Scottish and I'm proud to be part of Britain.

"And the important thing to recognise is that the policies I have pursued as chancellor since 1997 have been good for Scotland and good for the whole of the United Kingdom."

He cited low interest rates and employment, and higher investment in health and education.

Fife roots

"Of course there's a lot more to do - but the idea these policies have not made a difference to Scotland in making us better off, which some people try to perpetrate, is completely wrong," said Mr Brown.

During his speech he spoke about the influence his parents had on his values during his upbringing in Kirkcaldy, Fife.

Mr Brown said his father, a church minister, had taught him to put others first while his mother had told her sons to use whatever talents they had.

He added: "I don't romanticise my upbringing. But my parents were more than an influence."