UK's Brown makes surprise trip to Iraq

BASRA, Nov 18: British Finance Minister Gordon Brown flew into Iraq for the first time today to surprise thousands of British troops and boost his credentials for taking over from Prime Minister Tony Blair.

''I am here to see and pay tribute to the important work our forces are doing and to meet with Iraqi ministers to discuss the challenges ahead,'' Brown told Reuters.

''We are committed to supporting the Iraqis in building a democratic nation which brings security and prosperity to its people and plays a full part in the region and the world economy,'' he added.

Brown pledged an extra 100 million pounds to help with the economic regeneration of the country.

Travelling with Britain's chief of the armed forces Sir Jock Stirrup, Brown will meet with Iraqi deputy prime minister Barham Salih and other senior officials on his visit to the region.

Britain has 7,200 troops in southern Iraq, mostly stationed in and around Basra. But the city remains dangerous with Shi'ite factions battling each other for control and British troops occasionally caught in the middle.

The visit is the latest initiative by Brown to widen his brief beyond his Treasury portfolio as he looks closer than ever to succeeding Blair.

Bowing to pressure from within his own Labour partly because of the unpopularity of the Iraq war, Blair has said he will leave office within a year but he is widely expected to go around May.

Brown is the clear favourite to take over but may still face an uphill election battle against a resurgent opposition Conservative party led by the relatively youthful David Cameron.

An election is still probably some three years away but the ruling Labour party, in power since 1997, is trailing the Conservatives in the polls as anger over the handling of the Iraq war and financial scandals have hit the government.

The government last month announced that troops who serve for six months in Iraq and Afghanistan will receive a tax-free bonus of 2,240 pounds to help bring pay more in line with their US counterparts.

The head of the army, Sir Richard Dannatt, caused a political storm when he said the presence of British troops in Iraq was exacerbating the security situation on the ground and they should be withdrawn soon.

He also criticised the post-invasion plan by the US-led coalition.

Reuters