GORDON Brown appears to be emerging from the current financial crisis with some real credibility both at home and on the world stage.

It has been the toughest test of his financial skills and for now it seems to be paying off with other countries ready to follow his example.

Of course the critics will say that we should never have been in this mess in the first place.

As chancellor for a decade he guided us through some of the best economic times but where was the planning for a downturn like this?

And that is the real lesson to be learnt from this mess.

Banks were allowed to lend money to anyone they liked regardless of credit histories; stockbrokers played the international market like it was a board game with scant regard for the money of their clients, and any regulations in place to control the financial markets appeared to be treated with contempt.

If no lessons have been learned from this then it is only a matter of time before it happens again.

But for now, we have to give credit where it is due and Mr Brown appears to have come up with a plan that other countries also think will help us out of this crisis.

And the way in which he took such a tough stance with Iceland has ensured that councils and charities and other investors should not lose out.

He has shown he can lead, keep a level head and be authoritative under the greatest of pressure.

And for that he gets our thanks.