London ? British Prime Minister Gordon Brown plans to announce a sale of government assets aimed at raising $4.8 billion, his office said Sunday.

Nonfinancial assets to be sold over the next two years include the Channel Tunnel rail link, the Dartford bridge and tunnel crossing the River Thames, betting company the Tote, and the government’s 33 percent stake in European uranium consortium Urenco.

Brown is due to make the announcement in a speech today. Downing Street released details Sunday.

He also plans to say that local governments will sell off another $21 billion in assets. The money will help finance capital investment and pay down debt, his office said.

Britain is suffering its worst recession in decades and the budget deficit is widening.

In an interview published Saturday, he said the economy would grow by 1.5 percent next year, more than many economists have foreseen.

Today’s speech is part of a bid to counter arguments by the opposition Conservatives that only deep public spending cuts can slash the debt and turn around the economy.

The Conservatives propose raising the state pension age, tightening welfare programs and freezing the pay of hundreds of thousands of public sector workers.