The X'cess factor

Anyone who has ever worked for a large corporation will recognise this scene. The occasion is  a large corporate gathering such as an annual sales conference. Before dinner, one bold, brash individual shoulders his way to the bar. " I'm in the chair. What's everyone drinking?"  he says  - before putting his corporate credit card behind the bar.
The same individual, out with his mates for a Friday lunch-time drink, is adept at  merging into the background until a round has been bought.
He is much happier spending the company's money than his own.
If this sounds familiar in more ways than one, think back over the last few days.
Gordon Brown, he of the doleful face and grizzly mien, turned into Sunshine Charlie when he met up with his fellow-EU leaders to discuss climate change.
The customary glower was replaced with a benevolent cheeriness.as Gordon  once more donned the garb of Flash Gordon, super-hero and single-handed saviour of the global economy (except for that bit languishing in the doldrums that he happens to be Prime Minister of) and go large on the largesse at our expense.
When it came to contributing to a Pan-European fund to bribe 3rd World countries into lowering  their emissions, our very own Flash put his Euro rivals in the shade. Each time the diminuitive Sarkozy and mighty Merkel announced their country's contribution, Britain's answer to Cool-hand Luke out-trumped them. At the death, with the others clearly exhausted, our hero had committed this country to £1.2 billion in additional funding; the biggest single contribution to the aid pot. 
Of course,a grateful Europe clapped him on the back and praised his altruism. Then sniggered up its collective sleeve. Not only was the biggest bankrupt in the room offering to buy  drinks all round but also a slap-up dinner with all the trimmings.
The irony, obviously lost on our Gord, was that, since the aid  would be labelled "From Europe with love ", he was doing so virtually anonymously.
Not that Gordon minded. He had splashed our cash and had been rewarded with personal praise.
All he needs to do now is figure out where the extra £1.2 billion is going to come from.
Now, where does Mervyn keep the keys to those printing presses?