Here is an article from October by the 2008 Nobel Prize winner for Economics.
Has Gordon Brown, the British prime minister, saved the world financial system?
O.K., the question is premature � we still don�t know the exact shape of the planned financial rescues in Europe or for that matter the United States, let alone whether they�ll really work. What we do know, however, is that Mr. Brown and Alistair Darling, the chancellor of the Exchequer (equivalent to our Treasury secretary), have defined the character of the worldwide rescue effort, with other wealthy nations playing catch-up.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/13/opinion/13kr ugman.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=Gordon%20Brown&st=cse
As Jake has commented on another thread, when the British do something really well, it is ignored, or even worse, as in this case, lampooned.
There are some very unpatriotic people about.