EU:In his first official trip to the European Commission since taking office seven months ago, British prime minister Gordon Brown yesterday sought to persuade sceptics in Brussels that Britain is a fully-committed and wholehearted member of the European Union.
Standing alongside commission president José Manuel Barroso, whom he praised as "brilliant", Mr Brown said "Britain must be at the centre of Europe".
"I have no doubt that in this time of global uncertainty we should not be ever throwing into question, as some would, the stability of Britain's relationship with the European Union nor our future membership," he said.
Mr Brown's visit had been keenly awaited with the Labour politician often portrayed on the continent as being uninterested in Europe, a feeling strengthened after he turned up late to sign the EU's newest treaty in December.
In addition, the length of time it has taken Mr Brown to make the visit had been duly noted in the EU capital. French president Nicolas Sarkozy visited the commission a week after he was sworn into office, while German chancellor Angela Merkel arrived the next day.
Mr Brown rejected the allegation that Britain was not a full member of the EU because it was not a member of the euro zone, and because it had opted out of key parts of the Lisbon Treaty. He said London is "right at the centre of the agenda in all the major issues" including climate change, fighting terrorism and economic policy.
On the treaty, which is the subject of heated debate in the House of Commons over whether it should be subject to a referendum, the prime minister said EU institutional issues had now been wrapped up for the "next decade".
"We must now focus on the issues that really matter to our citizens." For this, and his support of globalisation and liberalisation of the EU's energy and telecommunications markets, he has obvious policy points in common with the pragmatic and pro-business Mr Barroso.