Brown plans Potter purchase as PM

Mr Brown said summer was the best time for reading novels

Gordon Brown has revealed that one of his first acts as prime minister will be to read the final Harry Potter book.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is published on 21 July, just three weeks after Mr Brown succeeds Tony Blair.

Westminster commentators are predicting a flurry of political activity, but Mr Brown told BBC Radio 4 he had already drawn up a summer reading list.

Mr Brown has called JK Rowling's books Britain's "greatest export", and says he wants his sons to read them one day.

Both are still too young to read the novels. John is three, while Fraser celebrates his first birthday a day after the final Potter is published.

Mr Brown was speaking to the Today programme from the Hay-On-Wye literary festival, where he is promoting his own book, Courage, about his personal heroes.

Broadening the mind

"This summer, I think (I will read) Thomas Keneally, who's just brought out a new book which is about war and heroes," he said.

"I will probably want to dip into JK Rowling, hoping that is something my sons will want to read later.

"And I suspect I will have a look at Al Gore's book."

Gore's polemic, The Assault on Reason, presents a critical assessment of the US Government's approach to policy-making.

"I think reading, in the literal sense, broadens the mind," Mr Brown added.

"It opens up to you ideas and themes and vistas that you otherwise would never really grasp.

"Summer is the best time to read books."

Mr Brown is set to become party leader and prime minister on 27 June.