Overview of (James) Gordon Brown

Politician. The son of a clergyman, Gordon Brown was born in Glasgow, educated in Kirkcaldy and then at University of Edinburgh, where became the second student ever to be elected Rector (1972-5). During a time of student radicalism, Brown used the University Court, which as Rector he chaired, as a campaigning mouth-piece. He began his career as a university lecturer, then television journalist. He was elected as Labour Member of Parliament for Dunfermline (East) in 1983 and, following boundary changes, he went on represent the constituency of Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath from 2005. Brown rose to become Chancellor of the Exchequer after the Labour election victory of 1997. He became the longest continuously-serving Chancellor and was widely regarded as being particularly successful in this role, with notable achievements including maintaining a stable economy, ensuring sustained economic growth, reducing income and corporation tax rates and giving independence to the Bank of England in terms of monetary policy. However, Brown has gained a reputation as dictatorial and his complex relationship with Tony Blair (b.1953) became legendary. He succeeded Blair was Leader of the Labour Party and Prime Minister in 2007. Brown suffered severe criticism following the economic difficulties of the succeeding years and he resigned both Labour Leader and Prime Minister after his party lost the General Election of 2010.

Brown maintains a home in North Queensferry, where he married in 2000.