Gordon Brown, the Phileas Fogg of politics, is criss-crossing the globe. While this week's odyssey, from Strasbourg to Wall Street to Latin America, is less ambitious than the itinerary of Jules Verne's fictional character, there are parallels. Like Mr Fogg, who was suspected of robbing the Bank of England, Mr Brown travels under a financial cloud. While Mr Fogg belonged to one Reform Club, Mr Brown is the self-appointed leader of another: his world tour is designed to cement what one aide calls an international "grand bargain" before next week's G20 meeting in London.
As the world leaders' get-together creaks under the weight of expectation, Mr Brown is not planning to prepare with a cup of cocoa and an early night. He is, it seems, thinking more along the lines of Henry V on the eve of Agincourt. To stiffen the sinews and summon up the blood of any international backslider – not to mention his own demoralised troops – the Prime Minister has selected St Paul's Cathedral for his last major pre-summit speech. His theme will be morality.
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