Harman hails her 'Superman' Brown

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Gordon Brown claims to be saving the world

Gordon Brown has been called "Superman" in Parliament as the fallout from the prime minister's inadvertent claim to have "saved the world" continues.

The Tories have been mocking Mr Brown after his slip of the tongue over the economy at Prime Minister's Questions.

Mr Brown had meant to say he had "led the world" in rescuing the banks.

Commons leader Harriet Harman responded to Tory MPs in the Commons she would "rather have Superman as our leader than their leader who is The Joker".

Labour MP Anne Moffat immediately intervened to say "Wonder Woman does it again".

Mr Brown's slip came during Wednesday's Prime Minister's questions and has already been viewed hundreds of thousands of times on the internet.

It prompted hilarity in the Commons with Tory MPs punching the air with delight - eventually the Speaker had to intervene to calm the mood.

Tory leader David Cameron then got up to speak, saying: "Well, it's now on the record - he's so busy talking about saving the world, he's forgotten about the businesses in the country that he's supposed to be governing."

Thursday's newspapers gave it high profile coverage.

Sketchwriter Simon Hoggart of the Guardian said it had brought "a sudden, overwhelming, mountainous avalanche of laughter", while Ann Treneman of the Times said the "master of immodesty" had revealed "what he thinks about himself".

Downing Street sought to downplay it on Wednesday afternoon, saying the PM was concentrating on "helping hardworking families through the downturn" rather than reflecting on his slip of the tongue.