Sarkozy on the recession
Gordon Brown often suggests that prominent foreign leaders are following his lead on how to deal with the world recession.
Those leaders, however, often disagree.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has become the latest prominent foreign statesman to disagree with Gordon Brown’s decision to reduce VAT in an attempt to tackle the recession.
The French President said Brown’s VAT cut had “absolutely not worked” and stressed he would not repeat Britain’s economic “mistakes”.
He joins a host of high-profile figures who have criticised Brown’s economic policy, including the Chief Economist of the IMF, the Finance Minister of Germany, the Prime Minister of Luxembourg, and the CEOs of Sainsbury’s and Marks and Spencers.
George Osborne, the Shadow Chancellor, stressed, “We said at the time that Brown’s flagship VAT cut would only make things worse and would be an expensive failure. That view is now echoed not just by British retailers, but by foreign governments, including France, Germany and Holland.
And he added, “Gordon Brown claims to have saved the world. It would appear that world leaders increasingly disagree.”
Those leaders, however, often disagree.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has become the latest prominent foreign statesman to disagree with Gordon Brown’s decision to reduce VAT in an attempt to tackle the recession.
The French President said Brown’s VAT cut had “absolutely not worked” and stressed he would not repeat Britain’s economic “mistakes”.
He joins a host of high-profile figures who have criticised Brown’s economic policy, including the Chief Economist of the IMF, the Finance Minister of Germany, the Prime Minister of Luxembourg, and the CEOs of Sainsbury’s and Marks and Spencers.
George Osborne, the Shadow Chancellor, stressed, “We said at the time that Brown’s flagship VAT cut would only make things worse and would be an expensive failure. That view is now echoed not just by British retailers, but by foreign governments, including France, Germany and Holland.
And he added, “Gordon Brown claims to have saved the world. It would appear that world leaders increasingly disagree.”
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