Harriet minds the shop

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The Commons leader is holding the fort for the first week of her boss's holiday, and is the first woman in charge since Margaret Thatcher quit office in 1990.

But Ms Harman's excitement - she was said by friends to be thrilled - was short-lived because Mr Brown's spokesman somewhat cruelly dashed any suggestion she would be running the country. "The Prime Minister remains in charge while he is on holiday," said the official spokesman. They did not appear to have told Ms Harman she was not running the whole shop. She was said to have given orders to the No 10 press office that they call her at 10.30pm with a briefing on the next day's newspaper headlines. She has also arranged a daily conference call at 7.30am with civil servants before business meetings in the Cabinet Room with officials and her own aides. Ms Harman once said all the men would leave the country if she ever became Prime Minister.

Mr Brown appeared to agree, for his office went to lengths to play down her significance.

"Harriet Harman is one of several ministers available," the spokesman said. "She is working to see through the daytoday business of government."

Although Ms Harman has never been given John Prescott's title Deputy Prime Minister, she has four to her name - as well as Commons leader, she is Minister for Women, Minister for Equality and Deputy Leader of the Labour Party.