Brown's depression claim 'a slip'

Mr Brown does not believe the world is in a depression, his spokesman said

Gordon Brown does not think the world is in a depression and comments suggesting otherwise were a slip of the tongue, his spokesman has said.

At prime minister's questions he told MPs: "We should agree as a world on a monetary and fiscal stimulus that will take the world out of r... depression."

The Tories urged him to clarify his comments and be careful with language.

Mr Brown and Tory leader David Cameron also clashed over the PM's "British jobs for British workers" pledge.

Speaking after prime minister's questions, shadow chancellor George Osborne said: "The prime minister must personally and urgently clarify whether his statement today that the world is in 'depression' was a slip of the tongue, or whether he knows something that we don't know.

"For the sake of confidence he should clear up this confusion. Prime ministers in particular need to be very careful about their use of language to ensure they don't undermined confidence."

Wildcat strikes

But the prime minister's spokesman told the BBC Mr Brown did not think the world was in a depression. Asked if it was a slip of the tongue, the spokesman replied that that could be inferred.

In clashes with party leader Mr Cameron, Mr Brown was also challenged to apologise for the "British jobs for British workers" pledge made at the 2007 Labour conference.

It has been cited by protesters in wildcat strikes at refineries angry at a plant using Italian workers.

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At prime minister's questions, Mr Cameron said the slogan had been "opportunistic", had encouraged "protectionist sentiment" and added: "He was pandering to people's fears and he knows it."

He said using the phrase had shown a "lack of judgement" and said the PM should "apologise instead of twisting".

Mr Brown responded: "Can anybody here say that they don't want British workers to get jobs in our country?"

He said it was his "duty" to help Britons acquire skills needed to get jobs in a global market.

'Ashamed'

He said it was "absolutely crucial that we do everything in our power to help people get the jobs that are available".

And he accused the Conservatives of opposing government investment in apprenticeships, getting unemployed people back to work through the New Deal and increasing public investment.

Mr Cameron said he refused to admit mistakes and said Labour MPs were "ashamed" of the pledge.

Construction and maintenance workers around the UK have protested

The issue of foreign labour in the economy has intensified amid mounting job losses across industry and a fall in vacancies.

Hundreds of workers walked out of refineries across the UK last Friday, in protest at a French-owned plant in Lincolnshire's decision to bring in 300 Italian workers for a contract instead of using local staff.

Several of the striking workers brandished placards: "In the words of Gordon Brown. British jobs for British workers."

Mr Brown said he hoped striking workers in Lincolnshire would accept a deal put forward by Acas, despite their initial "reservations".

And he said new "guiding principles" had been put forward by the Construction and Engineering Association for companies always to consider whether there were competent workers available locally, when considering using foreign workers.

But workers have refused the deal. There had been reports that about half of the disputed 200 jobs would be offered to British workers, but workers have been told it would be less than 25%.