by Asa Bennett

It is perhaps lucky for No.10 aides that Prime Minister Brown is away on holiday, relaxing on a little boat, so that they won't have to deal with his reaction to the interesting news that not only have France and Germany left the recession before the U.K, but Japan and Hong Kong have followed as well.

At the very least, this calls into question Brown's often praised economic prowess and will stir up anti-Brown conspirators - so the conference season may be more exciting than last year's damp squib of a leadership bid in the form of Miliband "Heseltine Moment".