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Gordon Brown has set out how Labour would tackle the economic recovery on his first visit to Wales during the general election campaign.As new unemployment figures showed 10,000 more people out of work in Wales, the prime minister acknowledged the recovery was "not strong enough".
He said he was "angry" about Tory plans to take money out of the economy when people needed to get back to work.
Mr Brown refused to discuss any deals with other parties after the election.
Beginning his visit with a question and answer session at the Swalec stadium in Cardiff, the prime minister said the latest employment figures showed how fragile the economic situation was.
He said the recovery was happening, but was "not strong enough".
"My concern is to make sure we have the jobs of the future, not just the jobs of today, but the jobs of the future for young people.
"And my concern is that we have the best public services, so health, and schools and policing are nothing but the best.
Attacking Conservative economic plans, he warned: "Take money out of the economy this year and you'll have more unemployment."
As the number of people classed as economically inactive reached record levels, Mr Brown said "We've got to keep the money in the economy this year. The recovery's got to be sustained."
Questioned on why this was his first visit to Wales two weeks into the election campaign, Mr Brown said: "You've seen me in Wales lots of times. I was in Wales only a few weeks before the election.
"I'm here yesterday, today and for a bit of tomorrow. So I'm here for a longer period of time."
But he said the government had also held a cabinet meeting at the Millennium Stadium.
"Our commitment has always been that we will work hard to create jobs in a country where we need work and we need employment," Mr Brown said.
Mr Brown also insisted that MPs who contravened Commons rules after the expenses scandal should be thrown out.
"I'm not in it for the money, not in it for wealth or privilege or anything else," the prime minister said.
"I don't really care about titles at all. That's me.
"Any MP who makes mistakes should be out."
'Personal attacks'
He said Labour was proposing a referendum next year on a "new kind" of Commons and Lords.
Of proposals for an elected Lords, he asked "why should people who've got a title because their grandfather had a title still be running parts" of the political system?
Conservative shadow Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan criticised the length of time it has taken for Mr Brown to visit Wales during the campaign, saying David Cameron has made two visits.
Mrs Gillan said:"Gordon Brown's visit to Wales is a reminder of all the problems we face today and how only the Conservatives guarantee change at this election.
"We have the energy, leadership and values to get the economy moving, mend our broken society and clean up politics."
Plaid Cymru candidate in Llanelli, Myfanwy Davies, speaking about the visit, said: "One thing Gordon Brown is refusing to discuss is the shamefully low level of the state pension.
"Like the other London party leaders, he won't talk about it because he knows he cannot defend the way he has left some of the poorest pensioners in our communities high and dry."
Earlier, Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg in a Daily Telegraph interview said Mr Brown was "a desperate politician" who had "personally blocked" political reform.
But Mr Brown said he wouldn't get involved in "personal attacks" and preferred to talk about policies and substance.This article is from the BBC News website. ? British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.