Senior Downing Street advisor has swine flu
Gordon Brown’s senior climate change advisor Michael Jacobs has contracted swine flu, it has been revealed.
Mr Jacobs was banned from attending the G8 summit for fear he could infect world leaders with the contagious disease and spark a diplomatic disaster for Britain.
Although told by his personal doctor that he was no longer suffering from the disease, the prime minister banned Mr Jacobs from going to L’Aquila.
Mr Jacobs had to follow negotiations by phone.
A Downing Street source said there was no evidence that anyone else in Brown’s entourage has contracted swine flu and that if they had, proper procedures for decontamination will be followed.
Jacobs’ absence from the talks in L’Aquila was regarded as a significant loss.
However, the advisor made no mention of contracting the disease or the ban imposed on him when he sent out a circular to climate change experts setting out the outcome of the G8 negotiations, and the future problems facing Britain in securing a deal at Copenhagen at the end of the year.
It is thought Mr Jacobs contracted the disease during climate change talks in Mexico.
