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He is famously incapable of relaxing on holiday. So it comes as no surprise that faced with the horrific prospect of a month of leisure time, Gordon Brown wants to do voluntary community work.
The Prime Minister has discussed with colleagues the idea of spending a week of his hard-earned break carrying out good works in his Kirkcaldy constituency.
Downing Street was coy about whether or not Mr Brown's good intentions had been translated into a summer work programme, such as painting and decorating social housing.
However, the PM has always enthused about volunteering and a source confirmed he had looked into the idea - but added: "Unfortunately, now that it has been made public, the security people may veto it."
Cynics may suspect a stunt to improve the image of a Premier heading for a make-or-break party conference this autumn. However, the idea of doing good works in holiday time is catching on.
Olympics minister Tessa Jowell is flying at her own expense to Mumbai. She will help take 40 "ragpicker" children from slums on an adventure holiday.
Andrew Mitchell, the Tory aid spokesman, is leading Project Umubano in Rwanda and Sierra Leone with more than 100 Conservative volunteers.
Reader views (14)
Let's hope it won't take too long to repair whatever he breaks whilst volunteering to help.
- Mike, Weston, England
I guess he and lots in the Labour Party will be looking for new work within a year
- Ian, Dartford
AArgh, cringe cringe, does he really think ANYONE is going to be impressed by this? How embarrasing! Poor bugger!
- Les, uk
Gordon once said to Tony that he would find it difficult to believe anything he said. I, long ago, stopped believing anything Gordon says or I stopped caring about what he says or I got so angry when he started speaking that I switched over before I destroyed my tv/radio/monitor. Hope you have a great holiday Gordon.
- Alex C, London
If you want to do something for the good of the community then RESIGN MR.BROWN!
- Mark, London
Who knows, he might be good at it. He is not much good for anything else!
- Colin Macpherson, Gramat France
If he gives us a general election, he can spend the rest of his life doing social work. After all, he won't be in politics!
- Keith Lonsdale, Doncaster
I trust that the necessary CRB and other checks have been done - which can take between 6/8 weeks - otherwise how can e know if our children or aged relatives are safe? I also hope that he will pay for these out of his own pocket and not foist them onto the taxpayer...
- Liz Brown, horton heath
Don't you just pity the poor charity he volunteers for?
About to go bankrupt after his sage economic advise
- Ronnie, Billericay UK
Dont work two hard old chap
- David, london
Hope he has an up to date CRB enhanced disclosure, and maybe he should be requesting ISA registration too! But it will be too late if he hasn't already applied- clearance will be a minimum of 21 days! Unfortunately, as he will find out(?) you cant just decide to do some community work when you discover that you have some spare time all of a sudden. That was 'the old days', this is 'Modern Britain'!! Like the rest of us involved in working with children or vulnerable adults, he will need to 'prove' that he is not a child molester!!! Being 'Prime Minister' is seemingly not enough under his own regime!! If he does not need clearance I would want to know why not! His behaviour around children would have been seen as perfectly normal pre 'listing' days, but could be deemed decidedly 'odd' behaviour unfortunately in current times eg ruffling the hair of tiny children belonging to strangers etc.,
- Helen Cousins, Bucks
As far as I'm concerned he can take the next 20 years off and do some social work.
- Nobby Clark, Perth, the Scottish one
Voluntary community work? Don´t even think about it, Gordon. Not for a minute. Off you go on your usual fishing vacation (Cape Cod, I seem to recall) and we won´t miss you at all, I promise. Will we, everybody?
- Graham Rodhouse, Helmond, Netherlands
If Gormless Brown is as good at social work as he is at economics, I really do feel sorry for society in general.
I thought it was only criminals who were obliged to undertake community work - silly me!
- Reuben Camara, Republic of Morecambe, UK
