People's security, Govt's top priority - New British PM

LONDON (AFP) - The new British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Friday's suspected car bomb in central London was a reminder that Britain faces "a serious and continuous threat" and the public needed to be alert at all times.

Brown, facing his first major test since taking over as Prime Minister from Tony Blair on Wednesday, spoke after police made safe what they said was a "potentially viable explosive device" in a normally packed tourist district. Ahead of a meeting with ministers, he said: "The first duty of a government is the security of the people.

"And as the police and security services have said on so many occasions, we face a serious and continuous threat to our country. We should allow the police to investigate. "This incident does indicate the need for us to be vigilant at all times. "I will stress to the cabinet that the vigilance must be maintained over the next few days." The Prime Minister said the new Home Secretary Jacqui Smith would chair a meeting of the emergency contingencies committee, "COBRA", before briefing the cabinet.

Brown had been due to discuss with colleagues plans to overhaul the way government operates.