PM Brown's first visit to Wales

Gordon Brown met RAF personnel at Valley Labour focus on council gains Brown considers training cash

Gordon Brown has made his first visit to Wales as Prime Minister to attend Welsh Labour's spring conference.

He flew into RAF Valley on Anglesey at lunchtime and met personnel involved in the rescue of the Riverdance freight ship, which ran aground near Blackpool.

Mr Brown later headed for Llandudno, where he outlined ideas for offering cash to encourage people on benefits into work and training.

His speech set out proposals for a "contract out of poverty".

Mr Brown told delegates: "Today - for individual families to escape the daily injustices of poverty - I propose new contracts out of poverty.

"Matching new opportunities to support their children with new responsibilities to take up work, to acquire new skills, to make the most of their lives."

He also told the conference that there there were no "Wales-only" solutions to some of the United Kingdom's biggest challenges.

He praised devolution but stressed the importance of UK-wide policies.

"Our message is one for the whole of the United Kingdom: stronger together, weaker apart," he said.

"We also know whether it's the need to cooperate for a safe environment or national security, or for the safeguarding of pensions and general economic success, that there is no Wales-only, no England-only, no Scotland-only solution to the biggest challenges we face."

The prime minister also issued a rallying cry ahead of the local elections.

"Let us on May the first send the message: Labour councillors will make our communities safer, cleaner, greener and better. Getting results for Wales," stressed Mr Brown.

Earlier, on his arrival at Valley, Anglesey council presented Mr Brown with a painting of the 12th Century St Cwyfan's Church.

Gordon Brown smiles after receiving a gift during his Llandudno appearence Enlarge Image

The painting, by local artist, Keith Andrew, shows the "church in the sea", which is perched on a rocky inlet at Cwyfan Bay and is only accessible at low tide.

Mr Brown also met personnel at RAF Valley, who were involved in the rescue operation of the stricken ferry and freighter, Riverdance on 31 January.

Crew and passengers were rescued as the ship was hit by a freak wave in the Irish Sea while heading to the Lancashire coast.

Before travelling to the conference, Mr Brown officially opened a new environmental science research centre, which is a joint venture with Bangor University.

He spoke with scientists and students at the Natural Environment Research Council's Centre for Ecology and Hydrology.