Prime Minister Gordon Brown has supported a march of hundreds of bishops, calling for urgent action to tackle global poverty.

Most of the 670 Anglican bishops attending the Lambeth Conference, led by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, moved slowly and silently behind a banner telling governments to Keep the Promise Halve Poverty by 2015.

Mr Brown told the bishops, who had been joined by up to 1,500 faith leaders, diplomats, politicians and heads of charity on the march, that "100 years is too long to wait for justice and that is why we must act now".

He joined Dr Williams in warning that time was running out if the Millennium Development Goals (MBGs), set in 2000 to halve poverty by 2015, were to be achieved.

Mr Brown told the bishops at a rally in the courtyard of Lambeth Palace: "This is one of the greatest public demonstrations of faith that this country has ever seen.

"You have sent a symbol, a very clear message with rising force that poverty can be eradicated, poverty must be eradicated and if we all work together for change poverty will be eradicated."

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