British Prime Minister Gordon Brown stated that his main focus for 2008 would be addressing the global credit crunch and navigating through the financial instability. He emphasized that the current credit issues originating in the United States are now a major challenge for all economies and must be dealt with as a top priority. Brown expressed confidence in the UK's strong economy as the foundation for weathering the financial storm, and vowed to lead with unwavering determination to maintain stability amidst global turbulence. Despite facing criticism and a decline in popularity due to government missteps and economic challenges such as the Northern Rock crisis, Brown remained committed to guiding the country through the uncertain times ahead. 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 handling of the crisis, but Brown remains confident that the economy will stay on track. Despite solid growth since Brown's Labour Party came into power in 1997, concerns have been raised about a potential slowdown next year due to declining house prices and consumer confidence. Brown, who has been finance minister for 10 years under Blair, has reassured that stability will not be compromised and has promised to maintain low interest rates by controlling inflation. He has also arranged a meeting in London with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy to discuss financial market stability, set to take place in the first half of January. Brown's popularity declined after a brief period of support from voters, with Labour trailing the Conservatives by as much as 13 points in opinion polls. Scandals involving the loss of personal data by the tax agency and secret donations to Labour have caused embarrassment for Brown. In response to pressure to outline his vision, Brown promised in his New Year's message 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.