Gordon Brown

This article is about the British Chancellor of the Exchequer. For the rugby union player of the same name, see Gordon Brown (rugby player)

Early Parliamentary career

Brown says that one of the factors which pushed him into politics was a desire to help the poorest people. He was elected to Parliament as a Labour MP in 1983, becoming opposition spokesman on Trade and Industry in 1985, then Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury and Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, before becoming Shadow Chancellor in 1992.

Related Topics:
1983 - Shadow - Chief Secretary to the Treasury - Secretary of State for Trade and Industry

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After the sudden death of John Smith, Brown was tipped as a potential party leader, but he stepped aside and allowed Tony Blair to become leader. It has long been rumoured that a deal was struck between the two men at the Granita restaurant in Islington, that Blair promised to give Brown complete control of the economy in return for Brown not standing against him in the election, and that he would retire at some future date, allowing Brown to become Prime Minister. Whether this is true or not, the relationship between Blair and Brown has been central to the fortunes of "New Labour", and they have by and large remained united in public despite reported rifts.

Related Topics:
John Smith - Tony Blair - Granita - Islington - Prime Minister - New Labour

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As Shadow Chancellor, Brown worked hard to establish an image of fiscal competence, and to reassure business and the middle class that Labour could be trusted to run the economy without fuelling inflation. "Prudence" became Brown's catchphrase, and he cultivated a dour and even miserly air, though he is apparently known to friends and constituents as a good-humoured and romantic man. He also committed Labour to following the Conservatives' spending plans for the first two years after taking power.

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