Gordon Brown now has a single focus: agreeing an international approach to deal with the banking crisis and the economic downturn.

That is the main theme not only of his public statements but also of his private conversations. It has given his previously beleaguered premiership a new meaning and direction. He is operating in an area where he feels fully in command and knows what he wants to do.

So he now appears more relaxed and at ease with himself than in the summer. But it means that other issues appear secondary.

There are parallels with Tony Blair in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, when he was constantly on the move, across the Atlantic, around Europe and in the Middle East, as President Bush's emissary to shore up the international coalition.

Similarly, Mr Brown is now almost as much of a global frequent flier as Mr Blair six years ago. His four-day trip to Saudi Arabia and the Gulf starting this weekend will be his seventh overseas visit in the past two months.

Mr Brown has had two European Union summits in Brussels; three visits to Paris (including successive weekends to discuss rescuing the banks); plus a three-day visit to New York and Washington right after the Labour Party conference.

Taking account of the informal meeting of the G20 in Washington in a fortnight — where he is very cautious about immediate results on the restructuring of global institutions — Mr Brown will have been abroad for four out of seven weekends.

This is not only physically tiring, but also distracting. Economic issues now dominate his diary, inevitably excluding other matters, even for such a tireless round-the-clock worker as Mr Brown.

A lot is, of course, happening on public services: on the NHS (following the Darzi review); on schools; and welfare reform. But these inevitably have less prime ministerial, and hence media, attention than they did.

This makes political sense. Mr Brown's only, slim, chance of saving Labour from a big electoral defeat depends on showing that he can help families and businesses through the current difficult times. This is in every sense make or break.

He talks about the teething problems of globalisation: weaknesses of co-operation and regulation to match the increased openness and interdependence.

The answers are almost entirely global: whether in co-ordination of monetary and fiscal responses; the recapitalisation of the banks (on which he gave a lead); improved regulation to underpin confidence; and, as in this weekend's talks, in working closer with oil producers.

Domestically, his priority is persuading the banks to step up their lending: having been almost reckless in their lending, they are now hyper-risk-averse.

This is seen by him as the pre-condition for any recovery. Specific measures on fuel costs, small business cash flow etc supplement this.

Mr Brown is redefining his premiership while brushing aside the errors (excessive spending and borrowing) and the hubris (an end to boom and bust) that have exacerbated the problems. That has temporarily given him the initiative.

But what will matter with voters are the length and depth of the recession.

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