Brown denies split with US on Iraq

His comments come a day after the withdrawal of British troops from their last base in Basra city, which was characterised by some observers as a retreat at a time when US President George Bush continues to bolster his forces in Iraq.

Speaking at a regular press conference in 10 Downing Street, Mr Brown again stressed that the transfer of 550 soldiers to Basra Air Station was a "pre-planned, pre-organised exercise" and pledged that Britain would discharge its responsibilities to the international community and the Iraqi people.

Asked if he and US President George Bush still shared the same vision for the future of Iraq, Mr Brown said: "We are on exactly the same path that I have set out, which is that we will continue to discharge our obligations to the Iraqi people, that we support their democracy, and we will discharge our obligations to the international community.

"Please do not forget that this is recognised in international resolutions agreed in the United Nations on behalf of the whole world community. Our policy is exactly the same: to make it possible for the Iraqi people to be responsible for their own security."

Any decision to hand over security responsibilities in Basra - the last of four provinces still formally under UK control - to Iraqi authorities would be taken "in concert with our allies and of course in concert with the Iraqi government", he said.

Mr Brown declined to set out a precise timetable for the eventual withdrawal of the last 5,500 British troops from Iraq.

Mr Brown was speaking at his first Downing Street press conference after Westminster's summer break, against a backdrop of a series of opinion polls suggesting that his honeymoon with the voters may be coming to an end.

Surveys, including a poll for The Times, have put Labour virtually level-pegging with David Cameron's Conservatives, dampening speculation about an autumn election which had been sparked by the comfortable leads recorded by Mr Brown during his first two months in power.

Speaking after the first Cabinet meeting of the new political season, Mr Brown said his plans do not involve going to the polls within the next few months at least. But he declined finally to rule out an October poll.