Brown’s other world with lunch at over £650 per head

A lunch date:

Brown also hosted a lunch with Sir Fred Goodwin and his wife weeks before RBS was pushed to the brink of collapse forcing a taxpayer rescue costing billions. Crucially, the event happened after the takeover of ABN—Amro, the deal that tipped the bank over the edge and which Mr Brown later denounced.

A break from it all:

Brown spent £743,341 preparing for his G20 summit by visiting Strasbourg, France, the US, Brazil and Chile.

A visit to the man who could save the world:

Brown’s trip to the US, where he met President Obama in March, cost almost £290,000.

A recession the Brown way:

Brown's hospitality bill almost doubled in one year. In 2007-8, he spent a modest £78,900 on guests including only a few names from show business, but a weighty contingent of businessmen, writers, architects and others from less glamorous professions. But in 2008-9, as Gordon's political fortunes slumped, the bill for hospitality at Chequers and 10 Downing Street soared to £136,000.

You may wish to know that 205 guests were entertained for £136,000, giving a cost per head of £663.41.

Little wonder there will not be any public expenditure cuts until after the election.