Gordon Brown

Introduction
Early life and early political career
Chancellor of the Exchequer
Prime ministership

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Gordon Brown attending a press conference at the International Monetary Fund headquarters in Washington, D.C., April 2007.

President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Gordon Brown stand together in an ornate room at 10 Downing Street, with elegant furniture and large framed portraits on the walls.

10 Downing Street: Bush, George W.; Bush, Laura; Brown, Gordon; Brown, Sarah

At a Glance

Gordon Brown summary

Related Questions

How did Britain’s economy perform during Gordon Brown’s time as chancellor?
How did Gordon Brown campaign against Scottish independence in the 2014 referendum?
How did Gordon Brown connect economic growth with environmental protection?
How did Gordon Brown respond to the parliamentary expenses scandal?
How did Gordon Brown survive efforts to remove him as Labour Party leader in 2009?
How did Gordon Brown’s approach to foreign policy differ from Tony Blair’s?
How did the 2008 global financial crisis affect Britain under Gordon Brown?
How did the recession affect the Labour Party’s popularity in 2009?
How long did Gordon Brown serve as chancellor of the Exchequer?
How old was Gordon Brown when he entered the University of Edinburgh?
What changes for Scotland did Gordon Brown propose before the 2014 independence referendum?
What did Gordon Brown study for his history doctorate?
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What was the parliamentary expenses scandal that damaged Gordon Brown’s government?
What were Gordon Brown’s main priorities when he became prime minister?
When did Gordon Brown become chancellor of the Exchequer?
When did Gordon Brown become leader of the Labour Party?
When did Gordon Brown serve as prime minister of the United Kingdom?
When was Gordon Brown first elected to the House of Commons?
Where did Gordon Brown attend university?
Which Scottish constituencies did Gordon Brown represent in Parliament?
Which jobs did Gordon Brown hold before becoming a member of Parliament?
Which political party did Gordon Brown lead?
Who succeeded Gordon Brown as prime minister of the United Kingdom?
Why did Gordon Brown consider calling a snap election in 2007?
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Why did Gordon Brown resign as prime minister in May 2010?
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Why did James Purnell resign from Gordon Brown’s cabinet in 2009?
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Why was Northern Rock nationalized during Gordon Brown’s government?
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Why did Keir Starmer resign?
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What difficult positions has Yvette Cooper found herself in during her tenure as British foreign secretary?

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External Websites

Gov.UK - Biography of Gordon Brown
CNN - Former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown
CBS News - Full Interview: British PM Gordon Brown
ABC listen - Late Night Live - Gordon Brown's predicament
Museum of the Prime Minister - Gordon Brown
USC Leonard D. Schaeffer Institute for Public Policy and Government Service - The Right Honorable Gordon Brown
BBC News - Profile: Former Labour prime minister Gordon Brown

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Gordon Brown

prime minister of United Kingdom

Also known as: James Gordon Brown

Written and fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....

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History

Gordon Brown (born February 20, 1951, Glasgow, Scotland) is a Scottish-born British Labour Party politician who served as chancellor of the Exchequer (1997–2007) and prime minister of the United Kingdom (2007–10). At the time of his elevation to prime minister, he had been the longest continuously serving chancellor of the Exchequer since the 1820s. Brown was the son of John Brown, a Labour Party-supporting Church of Scotland minister, and Elizabeth Brown. At age 16 he...

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