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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Brown makes light of bank worries | Brown makes light of bank worries |
| (22 minutes later) | |
| He might be facing the worst economic crisis for almost 80 years, but the prime minister has shown he can still manage a joke. | He might be facing the worst economic crisis for almost 80 years, but the prime minister has shown he can still manage a joke. |
| When Gordon Brown, hit by financial problems, heard a mobile phone ring during a speech, he quipped: "I don't know if another bank has fallen." | When Gordon Brown, hit by financial problems, heard a mobile phone ring during a speech, he quipped: "I don't know if another bank has fallen." |
| For good measure, he added: "You'll be pleased I'll not be giving financial information this evening." | For good measure, he added: "You'll be pleased I'll not be giving financial information this evening." |
| The government has announced up to £400bn extra for the banking sector. | The government has announced up to £400bn extra for the banking sector. |
| Power lists | Power lists |
| Earlier on Wednesday, Mr Brown said this plan was "designed to put the British banking system on a sounder footing". | Earlier on Wednesday, Mr Brown said this plan was "designed to put the British banking system on a sounder footing". |
| Altogether more relaxed, he made his joke later at a dinner for the launch of the Powerlist 2008, a celebration of the country's most successful black people, including lawyers, politicians, businessmen and sportsmen. | Altogether more relaxed, he made his joke later at a dinner for the launch of the Powerlist 2008, a celebration of the country's most successful black people, including lawyers, politicians, businessmen and sportsmen. |
| Mr Brown, beset recently by talk of Labour leadership plots, continued the light-hearted tone, saying: "I've not often, as you will understand, been on power lists particularly in the last year." | Mr Brown, beset recently by talk of Labour leadership plots, continued the light-hearted tone, saying: "I've not often, as you will understand, been on power lists particularly in the last year." |
| The audience of 300 people, gathered at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, reportedly responded well to the jokes. | The audience of 300 people, gathered at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, reportedly responded well to the jokes. |
| Mr Brown added that the first power list on which he had been included was compiled was in the 1980s. | Mr Brown added that the first power list on which he had been included was compiled was in the 1980s. |
| He had been at number four, ahead of Neil Kinnock and John Smith but behind Hilary Benn, Ed Balls and Douglas Alexander. | He had been at number four, ahead of Neil Kinnock and John Smith but behind Hilary Benn, Ed Balls and Douglas Alexander. |
| Mr Brown said he had later discovered the list was alphabetical. |