PM's reassurance for Wharf workers

By Rob Virtue on March 26, 2008 4:03 PM |

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GORDON Brown had reassuring words for Canary Wharf workers when he arrived at the financial centre.

The Prime Minister was at the East Wintergarden to promote Ken Livingstone’s mayoral election campaign.
His visit coincided with jobs uncertainty at Bear Stearns and the ongoing threat of global recession. But the Prime Minister told The Wharf that maintaining high employment in the area is at the top of his agenda.

"My message to the Canary Wharf workers is we are going to do everything in our power during this world economic downturn to make sure that Britain comes through it okay,” said Brown.
“Everything we do will be to maintain the stability of the economy and to make sure that jobs and living standards around here are taken care of.
“This is central to our agenda. There are 100,000 jobs here, many held by local people. We know the importance of these jobs and will do everything in our power to help the situation.”

Mr Brown was part of a group of four, which also included Olympics minister Tessa Jowell, MP for Poplar and Canning Town Jim Fitzpatrick and the Mayor of London Ken Livingstone, holding a conference to promote Labour in Docklands last Thursday (March 20).

They met a host of dignitaries from the Isle of Dogs before speaking to the press about the work the party has done in the area while in Government.

Mr Brown and Mr Livingstone particularly talked about Crossrail and the transport infrastructure that has been built up around Docklands. The Prime Minister said the Government must make sure the money
generated is channelled into the right areas.

He said: “What we want to see is that the benefit of the new developments and investments goes to local people and that jobs and prosperity helps the local community.”

Mr Livingstone said that Crossrail will link the different parts of London and allow Canary Wharf to grow as a financial centre.

“It will make access to Canary Wharf much easier,” he said. “But once through here it will go on to ExCeL so we can increase that and then go across the river.
“I made a promise, having been brought up in south London, not to build a railway line without it going across the river. So while cabs may not go south, my trains always will.”

rob.virtue@wharf.co.uk