Sarah Brown’s very British fashion gift for Michelle Obama

As if slumber parties in the White House and secret visits from the Jonas Brothers weren’t enough to bring little Malia and Sasha Obama kudos (forget their parents for a second), now Sarah Brown’s given them the ultimate Briish fashion gift – Topshop clothes! The Prime Minister’s wife arrived for her First Ladies’ summit with Michelle Obama yesterday bearing a dress and necklace from Topshop, which has yet to launch in the US.

How thoughtful of Mrs. Brown. And how did Michelle reciprocate? She sent an aide to the White House gift shop with $30. How cool is that?

First Lady Michelle Obama shows even she has a gift for the gaffe

In return Mrs Obama gave the Brown children, Fraser and John, two toy models of Marine One, the Presidential helicopter. Fair enough on the helicopter part, always a popular choice with small boys; but Marine One? It’s not as though anyone needs reminding that Barack Obama is President or that he has his own helicopter. Short of giving the boys Action Man models of her own husband smiting the evil forces of neoconservatism, Mrs Obama’s gesture could not have been more solipsistic or more inherently dismissive of Mrs Brown.

Not only did she demonstrate that she spent approximately three seconds contemplating the needs of the Brown boys (having an aide pop to the White House gift shop for a piece of merchandising does not imply a great deal of thought), she appeared to show a most uncharacteristic lapse of judgment.

/Classy