Brown will shun after-dinner circuit to 'do something good'

In a move in keeping with his Presbyterian upbringing he has pledged he will concentrate on charity and voluntary work, rather than become an after dinner speaker and company board member, the route traditionally followed by ex-Prime Ministers.

As a man who has played a role in the highest level of politics for more than a decade, however, he is unlikely to find the step off the world stage particularly easy and it seems doubtful he will revert to being a backbench MP.

Mr Brown's unpopularity in Britain is not matched abroad where he is more respected, particularly by American commentators for his role in the action taken to combat the global financial crisis.

Even before the election he was being tipped to take

over as head of the International Monetary Fund if current

boss Dominique Strauss-Kahn steps down to run for the presidency of France in next year's elections.

In a TV interview before this year's election Mr Brown was quoted saying that his vision for life post-Downing Street was to "make a difference" and "do something good". His work as co-chairman of the United Nations Advisory Group on Climate Change Financing, a body charged with finding money for impoverished nations seeking to combat global warming, may provide a clue where he goes next.

He has also suggested that he would like to return to teaching, having lectured in politics before becoming an MP.

Mr Brown may also use the vast new amount of free time he has on his hands to develop his writing, perhaps working on memoirs or expanding on the several books he has already written or contributed to.