Tonight:
9°c
Sarah swaps gloom for Hollywood glitz at first wives summit
Amar Singh22.04.09
GORDON Brown's wife and Tony Blair escaped Britain for Los Angeles today - as the Prime Minister faced the grimmest Budget in living memory.
Sarah Brown appeared at a summit beside Naomi Campbell. Embarrassingly for her after travelling 5,000 miles across the Atlantic she found herself next to a Cameroon - not a supporter of the Tory party but the first lady of an African country.
Meanwhile Mr Blair met British Hollywood figures at a gala dinner in the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. Neither appeared disappointed at missing the Budget.
The Prime Minister's wife was praised for an impassioned speech calling for a renewed fight against African mothers dying in childbirth. Hollywood star Sharon Stone also chaired a discussion.
Mrs Brown is a patron of The White Ribbon Alliance For Safe Motherhood - a charity which campaigns for safer childbirth conditions around the world. About 600,000 mothers die a year in childbirth.
Naomi Campbell, the Streatham-born supermodel was appointed global ambassador for the White Ribbon Alliance. She said: "When Sarah explained in detail the staggering statistics around maternal mortality, I was deeply moved. I'm proud to take on this role."
Mr Blair's appearance was to raise money for anti-malaria work in Africa, which he said was being assisted by his Faith Foundation.
Described as "looking very well and refreshed" by a party-goer, Mr Blair chatted with guests from the business world.
He said: "The idea is to mobilise people of faith to help others, not just their own faith, to cut dramatically the number of deaths from malaria."
Reader views (3)
I am really proud i really really am proud to see these honours given to Naomi.
- John L Hemphill Iii, Philadelphia, USA
The UK taxpayer is being knocked sideways by Brown and Darling - I wonder who paid for the first class flights to the USA on this occasion?
Of course! Tony Bliar now has a bottomless pit of cash - thanks to his devious manipulation of gullible peeps.
- Reuben Camara, Morecambe/Lancaster
It seems even his wife has deserted him - what hope for the electorate?
- David, SOUTHAMPTON
