London, UK, October 10 – In his speech at Chatham House today, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, repeated the same false rhetoric that Blair and Bush have been issuing since the 'war on terror' began. Brown once again denied the role of Western foreign policy – particularly the Iraq war – in causing and fuelling violence. Brown placed the blame on the "violent perversion of a peaceful religious faith" and claimed that withdrawing from Iraq and Afghanistan would not stem the tide of violence. Ironically, while completely denying any link between foreign policy and violence, at the same time he talked of the importance of tackling the "injustices that breed resentment" and described the situation in the Middle East as "the greatest grievance".

Brown's comments came despite the emergence of numerous pieces of evidence that decisively prove the link between the Iraq war and violence. In the last month alone, the US National Intelligence Estimate decisively claimed that the Iraq war had created a greater threat of violence and a report from the UK Ministry of Defence claimed that "The war in Iraq…has acted as a recruiting sergeant for extremists across the Muslim world…Iraq has served to radicalise an already disillusioned youth."

Imran Waheed, media representative of Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain, said, "Despite the frequent denials by Western leaders, it is the policy of Western governments – supporting dictators, undertaking illegal invasions and intransigence towards Israel's aggression – that has created instability and danger in the world. Brown's recent comments on the Caliphate and his speech today show that he is a firm believer in this outdated vision of empire, colonialism and exploitation."

"Brown spoke of the 'pursuit of liberty, democracy and justice' but made no mention of brutal occupation, support for dictators and tyrants, extraordinary rendition, secret prisons, increased torture in Iraq, draconian anti-terror laws, incarceration without trial at Guantanamo and the atrocities carried out at Fallujah, Abu Ghraib and Haditha."

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