Prime Minister Brown, flanked by Chancellor Darling, told a press conference yesterday that, ‘the changes I have announced in the cabinet and in the government today start with the changing way we have to govern to meet these new times’.
He added, speaking at 10 Downing Street: ‘I wanted to reconstruct the way we govern for these new challenges, challenges that did not exist in the same way in 1997. . . challenges we must now meet in a new way.’
He added:. ‘Enterprise needs representation at the highest level . . .
‘Therefore I have created a new Economic Council, put it on a day-to-day footing. It will meet for the first time of 11am on Monday morning.’
Brown is plugging into government through the House of Lords, EU trade commissioner Peter Mandelson, Paul Myners, the former chairman of Marks & Spencer, Lord Drayson and Steven Carter.
He said: ‘All these ministers, plus cabinet ministers with economic responsibility will attend a twice-weekly meeting of the economic council to prepare for the new times.’
He also announced ‘a group of business ambassadors’ from Barclays, Lloyds TSB, Vodafone, Standard Charter, the London Stock Exchange and Sainsbury’s.
He said he was ‘pleased to have the backing of opposition parties’.
Asked if bringing Mandelson back ‘means the return of sleaze’, Brown defended him as having ‘distinguished himself’ in Brussels.
Asked if he was creating an ‘economic war cabinet’, Brown said: ‘We’re taking special action for unique circumstances’.
He added: ‘Call it what you like, we are taking all the action necessary.’
• Second news story
De Menezes’ mother arrives in London
Jean Charles de Menezes’ mother Maria Otone de Menezes, 63, and his brother Giovani de Menezes, 36 have arrived in London from Brazil and will be attending the inquest into his death from Monday, 6 October.
Evidence emerging from the inquest has already raised more questions than it has answered about the botched operation that led to an innocent man being shot.
Police officers continue to contradict each other on key points of evidence but the family are hopeful that as proceedings continue, a clearer picture will emerge under questioning by their legal representatives.
Next week the inquest is expected to hear evidence from those in the control room during the surveillance of Jean Charles including:
Cressida Dick, the Designated Senior Officer (DSO) who was in overall command of the operation, and Chief Inspector Esposito (known as Trojan 80 in the Health and Safety trial).
A spokesperson for the Jean Charles de Menezes Family Campaign said yesterday: ‘Jean’s mother and brother are coming to the UK to finally come face to face with their son’s killers and hope that through the inquest, some justice can be done.
‘However, it has been highly alarming and extremely insulting for the bereaved Menezes family to hear evidence at the inquest from senior officers in the Metropolitan police that they did nothing wrong and that a similar tragedy could happen again.
‘This continued rebuttal of any wrongdoing on their part only adds to the shameful perception that the Metropolitan Police has no regrets and shows no remorse about deliberately killing an innocent man.
‘We hope they will not continue such an offensive approach in front of Jean’s mother.’
