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Sarah Brown and Naomi Campbell at the summit to highlight the number of African mothers who die in childbirth
Raising awareness: Sarah Brown and Naomi Campbell at the summit to highlight the number of African mothers who die in childbirth

Sarah swaps gloom for Hollywood glitz at first wives summit

Amar Singh
22 Apr 2009


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."

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I am really proud i really really am proud to see these honours given to Naomi.

- John L Hemphill Iii, Philadelphia, USA, 23/04/2009 00:59
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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, 22/04/2009 17:59
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It seems even his wife has deserted him - what hope for the electorate?

- David, SOUTHAMPTON, 22/04/2009 12:44
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