WE understand why Gordon Brown says he will not be diverted from the "right long-term decisions" for the UK's economy.

What we don't understand is exactly how he intends to do it.

The Prime Minister says he wants to show people worried about homes and jobs that the economy is "safe for them over the next few months".

That's pretty hard to swallow though for those already struggling to pay their mortgages.

Add to this the soaring price of food and petrol as well as fuel bills and we just can't see how his words can be turned into actions.

We are, according to the experts, about to suffer our worst housing gloom in 30 years.

Let's not forget that mortgages are not being approved at the rate they were in the last few years, slowing down the economy even further.

The worldwide credit crunch is biting and biting hard.

What people would have preferred from Mr Brown - the man who guided this country through one of the best economic periods this country has seen - is real action.

And where is our chancellor at this time?

It seems Alistair Darling has turned into the invisible man - a far cry from the "Iron Chancellor" Mr Brown was.

Words are easy.

What we need is the Prime Minister to show what his government is really made of with some solid measures that will steer us away from this economic gloom.