Cameron topples Brown from No 1 spot

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has lost his number one ranking in a list of the most influential men in Britain. And the man who’s usurped him is Opposition leader David Cameron. Brown took the top spot in last year's ranking of the 100 Most Powerful Men by men’s magazine GQ when he was still Chancellor. This year, having replaced Tony Blair as Prime Minister, he has dropped to second place.

GQ lifted Cameron from 17th in 2007 because of his "ability to influence", observing that "Cameron has stayed on the front foot" since promising to slash inheritance tax and stamp duty: "It is Brown's responses to the Tories' initiatives that are the real driving force behind current Government policy-making."

Brown sits one place above media magnate James Murdoch followed by Bank of England governor Mervyn King. In fifth place is Tesco chief executive Sir Terry Leahy, followed by the Director-General of the BBC, Mark Thompson. Newcomers in the top 100, published this month, include graffiti artist Banksy (86), Scottish tennis player Andy Murray (87), Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond (89) and actor Sir Ian McKellen (98).