Brown started with a nod to another Briton who crossed the Atlantic full of hope. By referring to Washington as "a shining city upon the hill", the prime minister referenced a sermon given by one of the Puritan founders of New England, John Winthrop. He then turned to literature, dropping in a casual mention of "a writer" who described judgment as "a summary court in perpetual session". That mysterious writer? Franz Kafka. Brown also referenced a Greek proverb which he paraphrased as "why does anybody plant the seeds of a tree whose shade they will never see?" But the most surprising reference was to "one individual with one set of dreams and fears, then another, and then another - each with their own stars to reach for". This pearl does not appear to owe any debt to Goethe, nor Proust. But anyone who has ever attended a holiday disco will recognise the bit about reaching for the stars. Could Gordon Brown be a closet S Club 7 fan?