Gordon Brown has thanked the Portuguese authorities for their efforts in trying to find missing four-year-old Madeleine McCann. The Prime Minister was speaking after talks with his Portuguese counterpart Jose Socrates in Downing Street. And Mr Brown also said the British Government would do all it could to help locate the youngster. Mr Brown said he had talked to her parents Gerry and Kate McCann and they had appreciated the work being done in the investigation. The PM said: "I expressed the thanks of Madeleine's parents to the Portuguese authorities for their efforts, and said we would do everything in our power to secure the safe return of Madeleine to her parents." He added: "Obviously there are issues they want to be assured about and I have raised these with the Portuguese Prime Minister. He has assured me that everything that can be done will be done."
Mr Brown went on to say that he was looking for progress in the inquiry. He described the case as "heart-rending in its sadness, that a young child can be separated from her parents for so long."
At the same press conference, Mr Socrates said: "It's important for Great Britain but it's important for Portugal." He said authorities have dedicated all the resources they have to the inquiry. Mr Socrates promised they have made it a high priority and "are doing their best", but there have been no confirmed sightings of the girl since she went missing. (Sky News)
Video: Gordon Brown thanks The Portuguese LE
Is this the situation finally reaching its final phase? There are significant developments afoot for sure ... with the news story in the Daily Express today ... and now this pledge of UK intelligence involvement by Gordon Brown. It appears there is some real heavyweight 'deployment' being undertaken behind the scenes .....let us have our fingers crossed that this is on 'the final countdown' and the finishing post could possibly be in sight. Maybe the six swords have now been exchanged?
