Brown 'opts for British holiday'

Gordon Brown reportedly plans to take his family on a British bucket and spade summer holiday - in a break from Tony Blair's lavish foreign breaks.

Downing Street has refused to confirm or deny reports the prime minister plans to spend time at Southwold in Suffolk and on the Scottish coast.

The holiday would be his first proper break since he became PM in July 2007.

Tory leader David Cameron is set to holiday in Cornwall. Lib Dem Nick Clegg will holiday with his in-laws in Spain.

The Lib Dem leader is planning to take a short break with his wife Miriam's family in a small village in central Spain.

When Tony Blair was prime minister, exotic trips were the norm with stays at Sir Cliff Richard's Barbados villa and Bee Gee Robin Gibbs's Florida mansion.

Mr Brown is expected to spend his summer break in Britain. The prime minister, who used to be a regular visitor to Cape Cod in the US, will hope his holiday lasts longer than last year's trip to Dorset.

Crisis talks over foot-and-mouth disease meant the family's trip was cut short to a few hours.

Instead, his wife Sarah and two young sons, John and Fraser, were forced to make do with a few snatched days at their home in Scotland.

This year it is believed the Browns will spend a week in Southwold, a town famed for its old-fashioned charm.

Mr Brown will want to be seen as setting an example at a difficult time for the British economy.

Downing Street have refused to confirm or deny speculation about his getaway plans.

"We are not confirming the prime minister's holiday plans at this point," a spokeswoman said.

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
Waveney District Council
Downing Street
Conservative Party
Liberal Democrats
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites