PRIME Minister Gordon Brown has said Southampton is well-placed to emerge from the global recession.

He told an audience of business, city and regional leaders: "What you've got here in this city and this region is crucial to our country", adding Southampton was a "gateway to the world".

The PM and members of his cabinet followed their meeting this morning at the City Cruise Terminal with a question and answer session to an audience of 200 invited guest from across the South.

They took questions on topics ranging from business rates to farming, free bus travel funding and police community support officers.

Southampton Itchen MP and skills secretary John Denham, who hosted the event, said it was "a real opportunity to influence future government agenda".