Cameron hires Google boss for crisis team

Conservative party leader David Cameron has unveiled a new economic recovery committee to discuss strategies to beat the financial crisis, including Eric Schmidt, Google's CEO, as international business adviser.

The committee, which was unveiled at Mr Cameron's monthly press conference, will meet fortnightly.

It includes the Tory business team – Ken Clarke, George Osborne, Theresa May, David Willetts, Phillip Hammond, Oliver Letwin and William Hague.

The committee will review and analyse the economic situation, both domestically and internationally, discuss immediate policy proposals to deal with the current crisis and coordinate strategy for the long term reconstruction of Britain's economy.

It will be chaired by Mr Cameron, or shadow chancellor Mr Osborne in his absence.

External members serving in a personal capacity include Sir Christopher Gent, former CEO of Vodaphone, Sir Peter Middleton, former Barclay's chairman, Baroness Sheila Noakes, opposition spokesperson for the Treasury and for work and pensions but also co-director of the Reuters Founders Share Company and a former partner at KPMG.

Other members include Sir Brian Pitman, former chairman and chief executive of Lloyds TSB, Sir James Sassoon, currently the Treasury's representative for promotion of the City and Simon Wolfson, chief executive of Next.