British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Saturday he would force credit card companies to end "sharp practices" and make it harder for people to get themselves into debt.

Brown said he wanted store card and credit card firms to "clean up their act" as part of measures to fight against a repeat of the economic crisis, in a podcast released by the premier's Downing Street office.

He said the steps would be announced this week to get borrowers "a fairer deal".

Brown said that "sharp practices" like hiking interest rates on existing debts without explanation, issuing unsolicited credit card cheques and raising credit limits without being asked should end.

He said it added to measures last week to "make sure you're not lured into taking on home loans you can't really afford".

He also pledged to return Britain to growth before the year end.

Official data out Friday showed that Britain is in its longest recession since 1955, heaping more pressure on Brown's government before elections due by June.

Gross domestic product unexpectedly slumped 0.4 percent between July and September, the Office for National Statistics announced — a sixth consecutive quarter of negative growth.

"Although there are signs that confidence is beginning to return in some areas, we need to be cautious," Brown said, pledging to keep up levels of funding and investment.

"My pledge to you is to make reform of the financial sector a reality and to see Britain's economy return to growth by the turn of the year.

"The battle to stop this global downturn becoming a second Great Depression is being won", he added, due to co-ordinated international action.

Looking forward to Thursday's summit of European Union leaders in Brussels, he said: "What matters is what Europe does.

"We need to plan to further mobilise our resources in support of businesses and jobs, including an ambitious European target on apprenticeships for the future."

AFP

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