Brown, (James) Gordon (1951- )

Scottish Labour politician, prime minister and leader of the Labour Party from 2007. Born in 1951 and educated at Edinburgh University, Gordon Brown became chancellor of the Exchequer in Tony Blair's New Labour government, which came to power after the 1997 election. A champion of market economics, Brown was central to New Labour's election successes.

British Labour politician, prime minister and leader of the Labour Party from 2007. He was chancellor of the Exchequer 1997-2007. As chancellor he ceded to the Bank of England full control of interest rates, and promoted such key initiatives as the ‘welfare to work’ programme directed against unemployment and funded by a windfall tax imposed on privatized utilities.

Brown entered Parliament in 1983, rising quickly to the opposition front bench. He took over from John Smith as shadow chancellor in 1992. After Smith's death in May 1994, he declined to challenge his close ally Tony Blair for the Labour Party leadership, retaining his post as shadow chancellor, and assuming the chancellorship after the 1997 general election.

During the Labour government's first term 1997-2001, he gained the reputation of being an ‘iron chancellor’, maintaining firm control over public expenditure despite demands from the left wing of the party for more funds for welfare reform and the National Health Service. After the 2001 general election, Brown released more funds for health and other government spending, but there were criticisms that expected benefits were not being achieved and the total tax burden was rising.

Brown was born in Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland, the son of a Church of Scotland minister. He achieved a first in history at Edinburgh University before he was 20 and then a doctorate. After four years as a college lecturer and three as a television journalist, he entered the House of Commons as MP for Dunfermline East in 1983. An avid reader and author, with an appetite for new ideas, he became one of the key architects of ‘New Labour’. His political beliefs, influenced strongly by his upbringing, are those of a Christian social democrat who is committed to improve conditions and opportunities for the disadvantaged.