Brown courage

Gordon Brown will not be attending the Olympic opening ceremony, but he isn't boycotting it:

Prime Minister Gordon Brown will not attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics... he will be at the closing ceremony when the Olympic baton will be passed to London... Mr Brown had never planned to attend the ceremony and was not boycotting the Games... Mr Brown... has never specifically said he will attend the opening ceremony... felt it would not make sense for him to go to China twice... he has talked of attending plural "ceremonies"... he said: "We will not be boycotting the Olympic Games; Britain will be attending the Olympic Games ceremonies... Mr Brown said: "... I will certainly be there."... Mr Brown... [received] the Olympic torch outside 10 Downing Street, although he did not hold it.

Granite-jawed decisiveness.