Gordon Brown's Closing Statement (Second Debate)
The buck stops here, if you are in the job I'm in, you've got to take responsibility for the decisions.
The buck stops here, if you are in the job I'm in, you've got to take responsibility for the decisions.
We've talked this evening about Afghanistan and the responsibility I take, every day, making sure our forces can do the job in Afghanistan, and can soon, as a result of the efforts we are making, bring our forces home.
We've talked today also about security, and how we need to be part of multilateral disarmament negotiations, so that we, Britain, do not give up our weapons, unless others are prepared to do so, and reduce their weapons as well.
We have talked also about the economy this evening, I've heard a number of people ask questions about the deficit, ask questions about how the economy is going to fare as businesses in the future, whether in or out of Europe.
The issue for me is don't do anything that puts this economic recovery at risk. We have fought so hard, for so long, over these last two years, to make sure we get through what has been the worst global financial recession since the 1930s. We've had to take ownership of our banks, we've had call the world together in London to have a big summit so that we can make decisions that everybody will work together. We all decided we'd put resources into the economy.
Unfortunately, the Conservatives want to take these resources out far too early and put thousands of jobs at risk. I would say this evening, David, you're a risk to the 37 economy. Nick, you're a risk because of what you're saying on Iran and on nuclear weapons to our security. Nick, you would leave us weak. David, you would leave us isolated in Europe.
I think these are the problems that these parties have got to face up to. We have a credible long-term plan for the future of Britain.