Gordon Brown is said to be optimistic about the UK’s economic future after figures are not as bad as they had predicted. He has said that the actions his government has taken to help out small business finances and homeowners as well as getting unemployed back to work has made a real difference.

He said, "The action we're taking shows that we're in a position to look forward with some optimism about the future," let us hope he is right.

With small business finance, a key issue and small businesses said to be part of the driving force in lifting the UK out of the recession this government should continue to encourage them to grow even in tough economic climates.

Gordon Brown said Tuesday that the actions his government has taken to support small businesses and homeowners and help get people back into work made him optimistic about the economic outlook.

"I think that the action we're taking shows that we're in a position to look forward with some optimism about the future," he told reporters at a news conference.

Despite the fact that GM Europe has said that it needs to cut 10,000 jobs the UK workforce remains in good spirits today unlike their German fellow workers.

Whilst the German workers stage protests and generally outraged about 10,000 European jobs going the UK workforce have been looking on the positive side that GM has decided not to sell off its European arm of the business.

Lord Mandelson called it “a pleasant surprise” and the UK unions appear upbeat about the entire situation. Madelson has also pledged financial support as long as GM plans make sense. Another sign that the UK government is behind the move. Some of their plans are rumored to mean an increase in work for the Elsmere Port factory.

Whilst there will no doubt be some redundancies in the UK it is thought that none of these will be compulsory.

Let us look at this as a positive sign that things are on the up in UK manufacturing.