"STALIN TO MR BEAN"
Police may still decide not to investigate the affair -- the general secretary of the Labour Party has already resigned over his role and the money has been returned.
But the damage appears to have been done to Brown and his government, and the opposition have their knives out.
Anthony Seldon, Tony Blair's biographer, believes it is only a matter of time before Brown suffers the consequences.
"I don't think this will bring the government down, but I think it could bring Brown down," he told Reuters.
"He isn't secure in his programme for the future and nor is he master of current events. If he doesn't recover before next May, the party will ask what the point of having him is."
Labour does not have to call a general election until 2010.
But according to one poll, the Conservatives now have an 11-point lead over Labour, their biggest advantage since Margaret Thatcher was in power. Just three months ago, Labour had an equivalent lead over the Conservatives.
Commentators say Brown, who waited years to take over from Blair, comes across as dark and brooding, an awkward follow-up to his predecessor's famed charisma. That came into play at Brown's appearance at prime minister's questions this week.
When an opposition politician suggested he was now less ruthless Stalin -- as a civil servant once described him -- and more TV comedy idiot Mr Bean, members of parliament on both sides roared with laughter.
Rather than a snappy comeback, Brown responded only with a crestfallen look.
