Brown moving Brit seat of power away from 10 Downing Street after 300 years

London, Oct.13 : Prime Minister Gordon Brown has decided to move the seat of power in Britain away from 10 Downing Street in a break with 300 years of history. According to The Sun, Brown has decided to set up an open plan "war room" operation and is moving the heart of Government to 12 Downing Street. His move is aimed at sharpening up his Government and equipping himself to make decisions more quickly in the face of the global financial crash.

In ancient Hebrew teachings, 12 is considered to be the number of "governmental perfection".

But it is also a sign the PM is already planning for a General Election that is still 18 months away.

Brown is being forced to quit No 10, Britain's most famous address after Buckingham Palace, because of planning laws.

He can't knock down walls and re-design it because it is a listed building.

The only space large enough to accommodate him and his immediate operations team is 40 yards away in No 12. He will boot out his strategic communications unit and press office, and take over their space.

The PM will be surrounded by figures like Permanent Secretary Jeremy Heywood, private secretaries and "gatekeeper" Sue Nye, Cabinet Office minister Liam Byrne and his deputy Tom Watson and Brown's right-hand-man Damian McBride. Secure zones where he can take private calls will be set up but his phone conference suite in No 10's basement will remain. That is where he speaks with world leaders like the US President over a scrambled line that cannot be tapped.

ANI