The story behind the collapse...

There was a right rigmarole during Barack Obama’s speech earlier after an MP collapsed half way through – but the incident ended up with another MP getting a private moment with the most sought after politician on the planet.

Like the thousand or so other members of the audience, Stafford Tory Jeremy Lefroy (pictured) had been waiting hours in Westminster Hall for Obama to arrive and speak.

But at about 5pm his colleagues standing around saw the poor chap suddenly drop to the floor. Mid Derbyshire MP Pauline Latham and others were on hand.

While the President carried on, Latham and co carried Lefroy out of a side entrance, but initially couldn’t rouse him.

She told Lobbydog: “It was quite frightening and pretty dramatic because we had no idea what was wrong. But in the end he had been a little ill before hand and had just become dehydrated over the day.”

The group arranged an ambulance and rushed to and from his parliamentary office attempting to find his medical history for paramedics – it was only when they arrived that Lefroy woke up and became alert again.

With her colleague from Stafford safely on his way to hospital, Latham returned to hear the second half of the President’s speech only to find it had finished and Obama was now being swamped by politicians eager to shake the golden-boy’s hand.

Unable to get back in she milled about outside, but then by coincidence happened to bump in to Obama as he left and was able to engage him in conversation with hardly anyone else around for a good few minutes.

That was an opportunity many of the MPs inside, and no doubt some of my lobby colleagues would have done a lot for.

She said: “I hadn’t expected to get a proper conversation with him, but he was suddenly there and I told him what had happened.

“He said he hoped that I’d enjoyed the first half of the speech that I’d seen and sent his best wishes to Jeremy, he was a very charming man.”

The Stafford MP was taken to St Thomas’ hospital on the other side of Westminster Bridge, but is fine and is expected to go home tonight – a happy ending for everyone.

That embarrassing toast between Obama and the Queen

No longer punching above our weight

Lobbydog returned from his last break of the summer today to find the PM getting palmed-off and slighted by President Obama.

The BBC is reporting that Whitehouse staff turned down repeated requests from Gordon Brown to officially meet Barack Obama this week at the UN.

Obama met the Prime Minister of Japan and the President of Russia, but only spared a few minutes for Brown, apparently in a kitchen.

It is a ‘palming-off’ and a ‘slighting’ because Downing Street officials described talk of the PM being snubbed as "completely unfounded", so we’d better get our semantics right.

Brown snubs copper

One to savour over Easter.

Michelle Obama and Sam Cam bond

Samantha Cameron has given Michelle Obama a bracelet designed by Lara Bonhinc.

The designer – who is very "in" I'm told – used to call herself Lara Boeing 747. These trendy types eh?

However, she had to revert to her real name after being threatened by the real Boeing.

Her creations include a choker with braille writing on it, so it can't be read by blind people, and silver earphones that you can't hear anything through – in other words, pretty but not much use.

Still, Sam has at least found something in common with Michelle – the First Lady also gave her a bracelet as a present.

Obama and Brown

Brown will be pleased with the press conference that ended ten minutes ago.

Obama backed him on pretty much all his key messages – global problem/solution, fiscal stimulus etc.

In fact, he came up with the sound-bite Brown has been looking for on public spending: “Don’t short change the future because of fear in the present.”

The leaders’ show of unity means Cameron, who’s also meeting Obama, will concede the publicity battle today.

Marked was the ease at which Obama switched from the serious business of state to small talk.

He mentioned talking to Brown’s kids about dinosaurs in between discussions about Iraq and Afghanistan as if he was chatting in someone’s kitchen.

Brown’s attempt a little later, a comment about exercise and treadmills, was at least not as flat as the “tennis” embarrassment in the White House.

Obama injured in Downing Street

News that a paramedic had to treat President Obama in Downing Street is trickling out this morning.

Mr Obama needed attention after he "fell out of bed" spraining his wrist.

Those close to Gordon Brown had feared the incident may disrupt well laid plans for a photo-shoot of the two leaders shaking hands later today.

But when asked by the paramedic whether he could move his hand Mr Obama replied "yes I can". April fools.

OBAMA: I just need to, er, go to the toilet

I did cringe when Brown tried to make small talk about sport at the Obama sort-of-press-conference-thing.

But it’s only now, reading the script back, that I realise just how dire it was – it’s like a bad conversation at a party which one breaks away from claiming to need a wee.

"I don't think I could ever compete with you at basketball," said Brown, "perhaps tennis."

"Tennis? I hear you've got a game," said the President.

"Yes, we could maybe have a - have a shot," said Brown.

"We haven't tried it yet," said the President.

"I don't know," said Brown. "I think you'd be better… but there we are."

Pause.

“I just need to, er, go to the toilet,” said the President.

Ok. I added the last sentence - but it fits perfectly doesn’t it?

Special briefing

For those that didn't see it. Brown will also be addressing congress later.

Brown and Obama's sort of press conference thing

I'll leave the full coverage of what was said to the papers.

Suffice to say Obama said Britain was America's closest ally and that he hoped the PM would call him a friend. There was appropriate chumminess.

On a side note - anyone who watched it on Sky will have noticed the camera was shaking round all over the place and that sound was tinny.

I suspect the speed at which things were set up meant there was either no time to place all Camera tripods or no space in the available room.

Again, the lack of mics going round and the bad acoustics in the place they had chosen all suggest it was a bit of a hotchpotch press conference.

Why wasn't there a full briefing in the programme?

Again this is speculation, but I suspect the Brits went to Obama's team and told them something televised was needed or it would look bad - and so it was knocked up in a rush.

Still. The PM had his moment in the sun and got a couple of plugs in for the G20 summit - which, as we were reminded, is in London.

Obama and Brown WILL do press conference... well sort of.

Number 10 has just announced that Obama and the PM will, in fact, take questions from hacks at 5.30pm our time.

The announcement follows some severe snubbage – when it was revealed there was to be no official "we stand together" type press conference.

Imagine, all those hacks buying plane tickets out there for nothing.

Considering this was meant to be Brown's moment of 'make or break' for the world economy, Obama's team doesn't seem to be treating it with quite the same gravitas.

The big press conference still won't happen, but even this afternoon's little event has been arranged hurriedly.