British Prime Minister Gordon Brown stated that his main focus in 2008 will be addressing the global credit crunch and navigating through the financial instability. He emphasized that the global credit issue, originating in the United States, is the most pressing challenge for all economies. Brown highlighted the importance of maintaining a strong economy as the foundation for stability and expressed his determination to guide the country through the turbulent financial situation. Despite facing challenges such as government mistakes and economic uncertainties, Brown remains committed to his goals. Northern Rock, a prominent casualty of the credit crisis in Britain, has had to borrow a minimum of 25 billion pounds ($50 billion) from the Bank of England. Prime Minister Brown and finance minister Alistair Darling have faced criticism for their management of the crisis, but Brown remains confident that the economy will stay on track. Despite strong growth since Brown's Labour Party took office in 1997, concerns have arisen due to declining house prices and consumer confidence, leading to fears of a slowdown next year. Brown, who has been finance minister for 10 years under Blair, has pledged to prioritize stability and keep interest rates low by maintaining low inflation. He has organized a meeting in London in January with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy to discuss financial market stability. Brown's initial popularity with voters has diminished, as Labour is now trailing the Conservative opposition by up to 13 points in opinion polls. Controversies surrounding the tax agency's loss of personal data and secret donations to Labour have caused embarrassment for Brown. In his New Year's message, Brown promised that 2008 would bring significant changes to Britain, including new laws addressing energy, climate change, health, pensions, housing, education, and transport, as well as continued efforts to combat global terrorism.