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Ahead of the G20 summit, party leaders have again clashed over how Britain should tackle the recession.
During exchanges in the Commons, there was consensus between the government, Conservatives and Liberal Democrats that a successful outcome to the summit would be essential for boosting confidence.
But there were differences over domestic polices, with Gordon Brown insisting that Britain is in the international mainstream.
The prime minister also accused the Conservatives of wanting to cut benefits and investment.
However, David Cameron told MPs that the governor of the Bank of England, Mervyn King, had warned that the UK cannot afford another stimulus package.
And Cameron said that "restoring public finances" would be a key part of tackling the downturn.
The Tory leader also told the Commons that "once the talks are over Britain will still be left with the most appalling public finances".
"This is a domestic problem and no international agreement is going to resolve it," he warned. "We should never leave Britain this exposed again."
Brown insisted, however, that the Conservatives are "misinterpreting" the facts and "getting everything wrong". "There is nobody coming to London with a policy of doing nothing," he said.
"There is not one country in the world following the advice of the Conservative Party," the prime minister added. "They are still the do-nothing party of the past."
Cameron had also warned that previous G20 commitments on free trade are being reneged upon.
He said the World Bank had shown that 17 of 20 countries had implemented measures to restrict trade.
Completion of the Doha trade round would boost the world economy, added the Conservative leader, calling for a deadline to be set for a final agreement.
The prime minister said that "the world is coming together to discuss detailed solutions on trade and other issues".
And he said that the UK had "pushed very hard" for a new trade deal, including raising the issue with President Obama.
Brown also said that countries will be "named and shamed" if they adopt protectionist policies.
For the Lib Dems, Nick Clegg agreed that "we all want this G20 summit to succeed".
But he told the prime minister that the summit will not help anyone "unless he practises at home what he preaches abroad".
Clegg called for action on tax avoidance and investment in green measures. "Doesn't he see that leadership starts at home?" he asked.
And the Lib Dem leader also said the government's VAT cut had not created a single job. The billions spent on the cut should instead be invested in jobs and homes "that this country desperately needs, and desperately needs now", Clegg told MPs.
The prime minister said there would be action at the G20 on tax havens, after 20 years of talks.
And the communiqué would insist there is no return to "business as usual" on the environment, said Brown.
Defending the VAT cut, he also said that a government should "use all weapons at your disposal if we are to deal with this global financial crisis".
"The way to deal with this downturn is to take all measures necessary to get through it as quickly as possible," he added.
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