Gordon Brown said yesterday that he was the right man to steer Britain through troubled economic times.

Breaking off from the G8 summit in Japan, he insisted that the economy was still growing, with “very high” employment rates and comparatively low interest rates.

The Prime Minister also responded to doubts over his leadership by declaring that he would not have stood for the job if he had not thought he was the right man.

Mr Brown said that high fuel and food prices and the credit crunch were to blame for economic problems faced by countries across the world. “The issue is, can we deal with these three fundamental problems?

“I believe that you do need the global action that we are talking about and I believe that the British economy is in a better position than most economies.” He said it was essential that summits, such as the G8, helped to create global solutions to the world’s dependence on oil and increase food production.

Asked whether he would step down as Labour leader if he became a liability to the party, Mr Brown said: “If I thought I wasn’t the right person I wouldn’t have stood for leader. The test of leadership is taking people through difficult times.”

Mr Brown’s leadership may be questioned again if Labour is defeated in the previously safe Glasgow East seat in the forthcoming by-election but he has no intention of moving and there is no early prospect of a challenge to him.

Mr Brown announced that a second summit of oil producers and consumers would be held in December in London. “We’ve decided on an energy forum that will be convened by the Japanese themselves over the next few weeks,” he said.

Times Recommends

• Phoebe Caldwell wins Times/Sternberg Award
• Raging against fake pop has its own pitfalls
• How a voice for everyone led to stalemate