LONDON - PRIME Minister Gordon Brown pledged to create at least 100,000 new jobs through a 10 billion pound (S$21.7 billion) investment on infrastructure, in an newspaper interview published on Monday.

The money would be spent over the next two years on education, transport and other infrastructure projects, the Daily Mirror said.

'School building repairs and school building alone will employ about 100,000,' he told the newspaper.

'It is possible when you do these programmes for it to take months. But the ones we've got earmarked are ones which can take place now.'

The number of people claiming jobless benefits in Britain leapt in November by the biggest monthly amount for more than 17 years, official data showed, soaring by 75,700 from October to 1.07 million people.

'I cannot promise unemployment is not going to go up. But what I can say is that we will do everything we can to help people affected,' Mr Brown said.

The Mirror said his plans would be unveiled in the new year.

Mr Brown also defended bailing out the banks while letting other struggling firms go under in the face of the economic downturn.

'If we had not acted a few weeks ago the banks would have simply collapsed.

We did not give the money just to help the banks. We gave the money to help the people of this country,' he said.

Mr Brown has promised to boost spending through borrowing to get Britain through the downturn. This has put him at odds with the main opposition Conservatives who argue he is simply creating a tax 'timebomb' for the future. -- AFP