A glimpse inside Number 10 as Gordon 'courage' Brown prepares to visit The Palace

Iain Martin in the Wall Street Journal captures the flavour of the atmosphere in Number 10 as Gordon 'fearty' Brown prepares to go to Buckingham Palace to call the general election. Do read the whole piece, here's an extract:

'GB (getting up and pacing around the horse-shoe shaped hub with his hands over his ears): “Everybody stop shouting! Just let me think. (Another long silence) Look… look… Ed, I’ve been working on some numbers overnight on the Tories national insurance plans, and boy we’ve really got them. Their numbers don’t add up. It’s gonna be just like the old days! Ed, if we can keep going, I know we’re going to get that big breakthrough. I know it, I can feel it. Just a few more days now, then I’ll call the election. I promise.”

Sue Nye (leaving the room in a hurry): “I knew this would happen. I’m going to get Sarah.”

Ed Balls (patiently): “Gordon, you remember how we talked about why there has to be an election every five years? And that it’s almost exactly five years since the last one, and that rather than waiting until the final, final date possible, we’ve all agreed, and you have decided, haven’t you, remember, that it’s best to do this thing on May 6. And everyone out there (points out of the window of Number 10) expects you to go and see the Queen and get her permission and then tell the country it’s election time. Today, now.”

GB: “Can I call Peter? Just for a second?”

Charlie Whelan: “Nope. You’ve had more than enough of Mandelson and his advice. We’ve taken your mobile phone away.”

...

Sarah (quietly): “No. No more delays. (Quickly brightening again). But what did we discuss last night? What did I tell you Gordon?”

GB (looking pleased as punch): “That I’m going to win the election.”

Sarah (nodding patiently, taking his hand and leading him out of the room and down the corridor toward the front door of Number 10): “Of course you are. And why are you going to win Gordon?”

GB: “Because I saved the banks and then I saved the economy. I’m a serious man for serious times, not like him (glowering now)… that Lord… Lord… Lord Snooty Cameron and his pal Osborne… I am serious and I am going to win and still be prime minister and lead this country into a fairer future for another five years. Or maybe even a bit more than that… anyway, until I can hand over to Ed to continue the work of change.”'