Premiership of Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown's term as the prime minister of the United Kingdom began on 27 June 2007 when he accepted an invitation of Queen Elizabeth II to form a government, succeeding Tony Blair, and ended on 11 May 2010 upon his resignation. As prime minister, Brown served simultaneously as First Lord of the Treasury and as Minister for the Civil Service. He and Blair both extensively used the New Labour branding while in office, which was presented as the brand of a newly reformed party that had altered Clause IV and endorsed market economics, though Brown's style of government differed from that of his predecessor. As of June 2024, Brown is the most recent Labour Party prime minister and the most recent not to be from England.
This article is about Gordon Brown's tenure as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. For the people in his ministry, see Brown ministry.
Brown rescinded some of the policies which had been introduced or were planned by Blair's administrations. He remained committed to close ties with the United States and to the war in Iraq, although he established an inquiry into the reasons for Britain's participation in the conflict. He proposed a "government of all the talents" which would involve co-opting leading personalities from industry and professional occupations into government positions. Brown also appointed Jacqui Smith as the UK's first female home secretary, while Brown's former position as chancellor of the exchequer was taken over by Alistair Darling.
Brown's government introduced monetary and fiscal policies to help keep the banks afloat during the financial crisis in 2008, and as a result the United Kingdom's national debt increased dramatically. The Government took majority shareholdings in Northern Rock and Royal Bank of Scotland, both of which experienced financial difficulties. Large amounts of money were injected into several other banks, including newly merged HBOS-Lloyds TSB, which received £17 billion. Domestic policies focusing on education, employment and health were introduced by the administration. The Labour Party was persuaded to give Gurkhas settlement rights in Britain by the campaign of actress Joanna Lumley and attracted criticism for its handling of the Scottish Government's release of Abdelbaset al-Megrahi—the only person to have been convicted over the 1988 Lockerbie bombing.
During the first four months of his premiership, Brown enjoyed a substantial lead in the polls. His popularity amongst the public may have been because his handling of numerous serious events during his first few weeks as prime minister, including two attempted terrorist attacks in London and Glasgow at the end of June 2007. However, between the end of 2007 and September 2008, his popularity fell significantly; two contributing factors were believed to be his perceived change of mind over plans to call a general election in October 2007 and his handling of the 10p tax rate cut in 2008, which led to allegations of weakness and dithering. Brown has since claimed that Labour would have won he 2007 election but he did not believe an early election was in the national interest.[1][2] His unpopularity led eight Labour MPs to call for a leadership contest in September 2008, less than 15 months into his premiership.[3] The threat of a leadership contest receded due to his perceived strong handling of the global financial crisis in October, but his popularity hit an all-time low and his position became increasingly untenable after the May 2009 expenses scandal and Labour's poor results in the 2009 Local and European elections.
With the onset of the Great Recession, the Labour government under Brown took the blame from a worsening economic climate, soaring unemployment and the expenses scandal. Brown's cabinet began to rebel; there were several key resignations in the run up to local elections in June 2009. However, Brown was backed by his party. He faced a second attempt to launch a leadership challenge by former Cabinet colleagues Geoff Hoon and Patricia Hewitt in January 2010, but the plot failed to gather momentum and Brown remained as both Labour leader and prime minister to lead his party into the 2010 general election. The election resulted in a hung parliament, with the Conservative Party winning the largest number of seats but falling short of an overall majority.
Brown remained prime minister while the Liberal Democrats entered separate negotiations with Labour and the Conservatives with a view to forming a coalition government. He announced his intention to resign on 10 May 2010 to help broker a Labour-Liberal Democrat deal. However, this became increasingly unlikely and on 11 May, realising that a deal between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats was imminent, Brown resigned as Prime Minister and Labour Party leader. He was succeeded as Prime Minister by Conservative leader David Cameron and as Labour leader by Ed Miliband. His premiership has generally been viewed as average in historical rankings and public opinion of British prime ministers.
Brown was careful not to imply that there would be any reversals in the key areas of Blair's social policy, or any radical breakaway from New Labour. He did propose a different style of government than that of Blair's much-criticised 'presidential-style' government. Brown was unclear on certain parts of his policies, but he said that a Brown-led government would introduce the following;:[9][12]
First acts as prime minister[edit]
On his first day in office, Brown rescinded the Order in Council which gave his predecessor's political advisers Alastair Campbell—who left office in 2003—and Jonathan Powell, authority to issue instructions to civil servants.[24] Brown's senior advisers, including Spencer Livermore, Sue Nye, Mike Ellam and Gavin Kelly, continued to exert considerable influence on the government. Brown's other senior advisers included former Treasury Special Advisers Damian McBride, Jonathan Ashworth and Jo Dipple, and former senior Labour Party official Fiona Gordon.
Brown faced a major prime-ministerial challenge two days after entering office, when two unexploded car bombs were discovered in London on 29 June. The following day, a car was driven into the entrance of the main terminal of Glasgow International Airport in a second apparent terrorist attack, causing a fire and considerable damage to the building. Brown was born in Glasgow, leading to speculation that the attacks were motivated against him. As a result of both the London and Glasgow incidents, Brown chaired emergency COBRA meetings to review plans to protect the British public. He also spoke to the First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond regarding the incidents.
On 3 July, Brown announced a programme of constitutional reforms, including limits to the powers of the prime minister, extensions to the powers of Parliament, a consultation on a bill of rights and a possible lowering of the minimum voting age.[25][26] On 7 July 2007, he announced £14m in aid for the flood-hit areas in the north of England.[27][28] On 11 July, Brown announced that housing would be at the top of his political agenda, promising that three million new homes would be built by 2020.[29]
Domestic reforms[edit]
The minimum statutory entitlement for paid holidays was increased from 4.8 to 5.6 weeks per annum,[30] and Child Benefit was disregarded in calculating income for Housing and Council Tax Benefit as a means of improving work incentives and the incomes of many low-income families.[31][32] Parents with children up to the age of 16 were given the statutory right to request flexible working arrangements.[30]
Extra penalties for employers paying wages below the national minimum were introduced,[30] while the September Guarantee was extended to 17-year-olds in 2008.[33] The Mortgage Repossessions (Protection of Tenants Etc.) Act of 2010 created protection for unauthorised tenants.[34] The Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 granted new powers to tackle erosion and "underwrote a path to run round England's coastland",[35] while the Community Energy Saving Programme (2009) obliged energy suppliers and generators to deliver energy efficiency measures in certain low income areas.[36]
Compulsory personal, social and health education was introduced in 2009.[35] The Additional Paternity Leave Regulations 2010 provided parents with the option to split the year's maternity leave the mother could then take from her employment, allowing parents greater flexibility with childcare arrangements.[37][38] An extension of 10–15 hours free nursery provision for disadvantaged 2-year-olds was also carried out. Between 2008 and 2010, additional money was put into tax credits for families with children,[39] while child poverty fell during Brown's last year as Prime Minister.[40]
The Education and Skills Act 2008 introduced measures to extend educational opportunities and raised the school-leaving age to 18,[41] while the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 introduced a statutory framework for apprenticeships and the right to an apprenticeship for suitably qualified 16- to 18-year-olds.[42] The Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 created a new Homes and Communities Agency tasked with improving the supply and quality of housing in England.[43][44] The Concessionary Bus Travel Act 2007 entitled disabled people and those past retirement age to free travel on local buses at off-peak times anywhere in England.[45] The Pensions Act 2007 and the Pensions Act 2008 introduced improvements to pension provisions,[46][47] while the Employment Act 2008 strengthened existing legislation governing working conditions.[48]
Brown promised free prescription cancer medicines,[49] which became available in January 2009,[50] although concerns were raised in September that year that many patients entitled to such prescriptions were not benefiting from them.[51] A Health in Pregnancy Grant which provided financial assistance to expectant mothers was also introduced.[52] In 2008, a Local Housing Allowance for people on low incomes or on benefits who were renting from private landlords was introduced.[53]
The Autism Act 2009 was passed to improve services and support for adults with autism. The Agency Workers Regulations 2010 was intended to improve the workplace rights of people working for employment agencies. The Equality Act 2010 required equal treatment in access to employment, private and public services. The Child Poverty Act 2010 set targets for governments to eliminate child poverty.[54]
Military covenant[edit]
In November 2007, several former Chiefs of Defence—including General Lord Guthrie, Admiral Lord Boyce, Marshal of the Royal Air Force Lord Craig, Field Marshal Lord Bramall and Field Marshal Lord Inge—criticised Brown for departing from the military covenant, a convention within British politics stating that in exchange for risking their lives for the sake of national security, members of the armed forces should be suitably looked after by the government.[107] Brown was accused by senior opposition politicians, including Conservative leader David Cameron, and Nick Clegg of the Liberal Democrats of failing to provide proper support for soldiers and their families.[108]
Leadership[edit]
The "election that never was"[edit]
Gordon Brown caused controversy during September and early October 2007 by letting speculation that he would call a snap general election continue. The Labour Party launched an advertising campaign, Not Flash, Just Gordon, which was seen largely as pre-election promotion of Brown as Prime Minister. Following the negative reaction to his visit to British troops in Iraq during the 2007 Conservative Party Conference,[117] an unrehearsed conference speech made by David Cameron and an opinion poll showing Labour 6% behind the Conservative Party in key marginal seats, Brown announced that there would be no election in the near future. He was subsequently accused by his political opponents as being indecisive. Cameron accused Brown of "bottling" the election because of opinion polls, which Brown denied.[118]
Plots against leadership[edit]
The first signs of internal disquiet towards Brown's policies surfaced in May 2008. The 2007 budget—his last as Chancellor—abolished the 10% income tax rate for the lowest earners (5.1 million people), increasing their rate to the next highest, 20%. Earners who fell within the 22% tax rate band had their rate reduced to 20%, and tax allowances were also made for over-65s.[119] These measures came into effect in April 2008. The "10p tax rate cut" as it was commonly referred to, was sharply criticised by Frank Field and several other backbenchers. Field also said that Brown did not seem to be enjoying his job. Health Secretary Alan Johnson believed that Field was motivated primarily by a personal dislike of Brown,[120] and Field later apologised, saying that he had regretted allowing his campaign to become personal.[121] Chancellor Alistair Darling cut the tax rate for 22 million people and borrowed around £2.7 billion to reimburse those on lower and middle incomes who had suffered.[122]
In mid-2008, a large number of senior MPs openly called upon Brown to resign. This event was dubbed the "Lancashire Plot"; two backbenchers from North West England urged Brown to step down and a third questioned his chances of holding on to the Labour Party leadership. Several MPs said that if Brown did not recover in the polls by early 2009, he should call for a leadership contest. However, prominent MPs—including Jacqui Smith and Bill Rammell—said that Brown was the right person to lead Britain through its economic crisis.[123]
On 6 April 2010, Brown visited Buckingham Palace to seek the Queen's permission to dissolve Parliament on 12 April, initiating a general election on 6 May.[152] He announced the election shortly afterwards and described it as the "least well-kept secret of recent years",[152] since 6 May had been predicted as the most likely date for an election for some time. Brown unveiled Labour's election manifesto on 12 April under the party's election slogan "A future fair for all",[153] saying that Labour had a "plan for the future".[154] Key pledges in the manifesto included:
The main opposition parties were critical in their responses to the manifesto. The Conservative Party said that it would "change nothing", while the Liberal Democrats said that Labour would not reform tax and politics.[154] Conservative leader David Cameron said, "There is nothing new there, there is nothing different there".[156] Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg asked how Labour could deliver "fairness and new politics" when they had promised the same at previous general elections but had failed to do so.[157]
The election campaign saw the UK's first televised debates between the leaders of the three main parties.[158] While Cameron and Clegg were generally perceived to have performed well in these, Brown was perceived to have done less well.[159] Brown also attracted criticism from the media after privately describing a 65-year-old pensioner as a "bigoted woman" after she stated that entitled people were not receiving benefits because non-entitled people are receiving them. She also expressed her displeasure at immigration from Eastern Europe.[160] His remarks—said on 28 April whilst in a car with his staff—were picked up by a Sky News microphone he was still wearing following a visit to Rochdale and were widely broadcast.[161]
At the election, Labour lost 91 seats in the House of Commons, but the Conservatives failed to achieve an overall majority, resulting in the first hung parliament since 1974.[162] Under the constitution governing what happens in the event of a hung parliament, Brown remained temporarily as Prime Minister,[163] while the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives entered into talks aimed at forming a coalition government.[164][165] Talks between the Liberal Democrats and Labour also took place.[166][167] On 10 May, Brown announced his intention to resign as leader of the Labour Party and instructed the party to initiate the election of a new leader.[168] Brown's continued presence as Prime Minister was seen an obstacle to the negotiation of a Labour-Liberal Democrat deal.[168] By 11 May, the possibility of a deal was becoming less likely as talks between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats continued.[169] After a telephone conversation with his predecessor Tony Blair where Blair informed Brown that the election had shown that the British voters had lost faith in both him and the Labour Party and that the United Kingdom would not accept him continuing as Prime Minister. With this he concluded that he would not be able to form a government, and announced his resignation as Prime Minister.[170] He also resigned as leader of the Labour Party with immediate effect. Brown travelled to Buckingham Palace and officially tendered his resignation to the Queen. Soon after Brown was succeeded as Prime Minister by David Cameron,[171] while Harriet Harman became acting leader of the Labour Party.[172] She stepped down after Ed Miliband became Labour leader and Brown's successor.