Mandelson Praises Pm's £1bn Trade Role

Gordon Brown has been "worth his weight in gold" in securing up to £1bn for British business on his visit to the Gulf, Lord Mandelson claimed yesterday.

Speaking on the last day of a four-day trip to the Middle East, the business secretary hailed the prime minister's handling of Gulf and British businessmen: "People are recognizing the leadership that our prime minister is giving and it is worth its weight in gold."

Mandelson told reporters that Carillion, the building and support services group, had signed a £500m deal with Aldar Properties, a developer in Abu Dhabi.

Carillion's chief executive, John McDonough, was one of a group of business leaders who traveled with Brown to the Gulf.

Mandelson said Benoy, the architects, would announce a £300m deal next week involving the Gulf.

Shell, the oil giant, had also signed a memorandum of understanding for offshore oil exploration with Adnoc, the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company.

Serco, the services company, is also understand to have secured a multimillion pound deal.

"I have no doubt this visit will have a major impact and make an impact on Britain in years to come," Mandelson said, adding that he regarded the prime minister's diplomatic role as significant and as an "agent for change".

At a press conference in Dubai - the last leg of the four-country tour - the prime minister dismissed a report by the EU that the UK was worst placed to cope with a recession, saying he regarded France and Germany to be in a similar state.

Brown was unable to make any concrete announcements about what he had secured on global financial changes, but said this would emerge at the meeting of the 20 most developed countries in Washington on November 15.

He said: "People are willing to work with us to make the changes that are necessary in the international financial order. When we come to Washington in a few days from now I believe we will see countries come together to make their statements about what they can contribute."