Brown backs Jowell after husband's conviction - as Berlusconi looks on

[Albus]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/feb/20/gordon-brown-italy-g20-jowell

Gordon Brown gave Tessa Jowell, his Olympics secretary, a resounding vote of confidence yesterday to sweep aside speculation she may be axed from the cabinet after the conviction of her estranged husband, David Mills, on bribery charges.

Standing alongside Silvio Berlusconi, Italy's prime minister and the man accused of giving Mills the bribe, he said Jowell was "doing a very good job and I have confidence in her ability to continue to do that job".

Berlusconi was indicted with Mills but the charge was dropped after his government gave him immunity.

Brown, who also met the pope during the visit, was answering questions on the first day of his mini-tour of EU capitals in advance of the G20 summit in London in April. Italy currently holds the presidency of the G8 and the visit was intended to ensure smooth co-ordination between the two organisations.

But Rome was always going to be a challenge. As reported in yesterday's Guardian, one of Brown's priorities is action against tax havens. Many of the cases against Berlusconi, including the one in which he was arraigned with Mills, have centred on his business empire's use of lightly regulated offshore financial vehicles set up for him by Mills. Mills was given a four-and-a-half year sentence by a Milan court on Tuesday.

After talks with Berlusconi, Brown said the G20 "will support oversight of under-regulated sectors", adding: "I also support proper disclosure and transparency of hedge funds."

Berlusconi said bank nationalisation would be on the agenda too, though he described that as a "hypothesis".

Earlier Brown invited Pope Benedict to Britain. Brown said he had suggested a trip coinciding with the beatification of the 19th century Anglican convert, Cardinal John Henry Newman, expected later this year or next. It would be the first visit by a pope since John Paul II came 27 years ago.

The prime minister's wife Sarah, and his sons John and James, accompanied him to yesterday's meeting with the pope. Brown said he had told the pope that Britain, which holds the G20 presidency, would "put the needs of people in poverty or facing poverty high on our agenda".

In an allusion to the parable of the Good Samaritan, he said: "We cannot walk by on the other side."



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