Gordon Brown
From AICbackground
Gordon Brown
Prime Minister of Great Britain
“Many of you know my interest in Israel and in the Jewish community has been long-standing... My father was the chairman of the Church of Scotland's Israel Committee. Not only as I've described to some of you before did he make visits on almost two occasions a year for 20 years to Israel – but because of that, although Fife, where I grew up, was a long way from Israel with no TV pictures to link us together – I had a very clear view from household slides and projectors about the history of Israel, about the trials and tribulations of the Jewish people, about the enormous suffering and loss during the Holocaust, as well as the extraordinary struggle that he described to me of people to create this magnificent homeland.”
“Support the Middle East peace process through economic development.”
“Let the work of change begin.”
Early Years and Education
You were born in February 20, 1951 in Glasgow, Scotland but spent your childhood and adolescence in Kirkcaldy, Scotland where you attended Kirkcaldy High School with your two brothers, Andrew and John. At the age of sixteen, you attended the University of Edinburgh where you earned first-class honors in history and a doctoral degree in politics. You were appointed Rector of the University in 1972 at the age of twenty-one and later received a post as a University lecturer in 1975. A permanent post was denied to you due to your political activism.
Public Life
The year of 1976 prompted a move from Edinburgh to Glasgow College of Technology where you assumed a permanent lecturing post in the field of politics. A role in television, where you served as a journalist in current affairs, came about during 1980 prior to your first political post in the Scottish Labor Party alongside Tony Blair which occurred in the year of 1983. You entered the realm of official politics in 1979 during which time you lost in the general election for Labour MP (Member of Parliament) of Edinburgh South in the Scottish Labor Party to Michael Ancram, but secured the post of Labour MP in 1983 from Dunfermline East. Not long after your win, you and Tony Blair began to share an office and spoke often with one another regarding your ideas for Labor Reform. In 1985, you became the opposition spokesman on Trade and Industry; in 1987, you were elected to the position of Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and assumed a role as Shadow Chancellor in 1992.
Following the death of Labor Party Leader, John Smith, both you and Tony Blair were noted as potential party leaders, though you withdrew your stake in the role and united forces with Blair around the concept of ‘New Labor’. Instead, you remained Shadow Chancellor under Blair, where you served for ten years and two months. Among your many accomplishments in this role are the following: 1) you upheld the longest period of sustained economic growth in the history of the UK, 2) you declared the Bank of England independent and thus, capable of setting monetary policies and interest rates, 3) you issued a speech at the 2005 G8 Summit in which you established a belief in ending third-world debt and spoke out in support of a ‘green’ earth.
On May 11, 2007, you made an official announcement regarding your candidacy for Prime Minister following the resignation of Tony Blair. Your bid went uncontested; on June 24, 2007, you were elected into your role as Leader of the Labor Party in Manchester, England. In addition to your role as Prime Minister, you are also First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom, and finally, Privy Counselor.
Domestic Issues of Concern
For the short time that you have been Prime Minister, you have been careful not to suggest that there will be any dramatic deviations from the social policy of former Prime Minister Blair or your political affiliation, the Labour party. Your top two domestic priorities in public services will be education and healthcare, into which your government has poured unprecedented amounts of public money. You will continue to advance markets within public services to increase the variety of suppliers, whose competition with each other will improve performance and increase consumer choice.
You have been Tony Blair's political partner and closest ally since the 1980s, and you collaborated with him to shape the policies of the New Labour project during the 1990s. As Chancellor of the Exchequer at the Treasury, you were a central member of the Cabinet under Blair and shared in the collective responsibility of government. You and Blair were a successful duo as prime minister and chancellor. You cannot, and would not want to, reject the policies you helped determine in Blair’s government. You will continue with the successful policies you created at the Treasury for economic management, seeking liberalization of markets and increased competition.
Your main political message to your citizens will be that you have been the most successful chancellor in British history, presiding over record growth, low inflation and unemployment. You should never let the British people forget Labour’s record at economic management, bringing the people prosperity. You should stress that to vote Conservative—your political opponents—would jeopardize that prosperity. It will be safer to vote Labour since you have said “Don’t risk letting the Tories ruin it.” You should continue to appeal to people’s aspirations for a better life for themselves and their families.
Beliefs and Policies Pertaining to the Middle East
In relation to the Israel-Palestine conflict, you are a firm believer that economic progress—specifically in developing the Palestinian economy—is a strategy to end violence in the Middle East. Therefore, in 2005 you deployed your trusted lieutenant, Ed Balls, along with Treasury official, Jon Cunliffe, to draft a report on the economic aspects of peace in the region. Although it pre-dates the election of Hamas, the report, which highlights the extent to which Israel's multiple restrictions on movement are damaging Palestinian economic development, could be a useful starting point for your government. Your plan for economic progress in the Middle East between Israelis and Palestinians is a replica of what had worked so well in Northern Ireland: ensuring a flow of investment and jobs into a former war zone, giving the next generation a stake in peace. You believe peace will be reached when people have something financial to lose. Moreover, you employ an economist's approach to foreign affairs. On Israel-Palestine, it is clear that investment will be vital after the two sides have signed a peace agreement. With former Prime Minister Tony Blair headed to a new job as the International Quartet's Middle East envoy, it remains to be seen whether and how the former prime minister will influence you on Middle East policy.
Role-Playing Notes
In relation to your character, you are stiff, introverted, and an uneasy communicator. You will never be liked as much as Blair has been. However, you will be respected and highly regarded for other leadership qualities, such as your strength. The public will see you as a strong leader, which will count more in elections than likability. Moreover, you should play to your strong points and not try to imitate Blair. You should stress your sense of responsibility, intolerance of sleaze, and draw attention to being a son of a Presbyterian minister to contrast yourself with what individuals see as the superficial Blair. Concerning the amount of independence that you possess as Prime Minister, you can demonstrate this aspect by leading a new government with new ministers. As several of Blair’s ministers have said they will not serve in your government, you gained the freedom to bring in new individuals from different parts of the party and create a new team. For the first time in Labour party history, you achieved leadership without a contested election. Lastly, you are concerned with showing the world that Great Britain has a new government and is ready to make a fresh start. You are different from the Blair government in the sense that you are prudent, less willing to establish a strong alliance with President Bush, and you will make decisions according to British, not American, policy.
Annotated List of References:
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/b/gordon_brown/index.html?8qa
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/6701961.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6743875.stm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Brown
http://www.newstatesman.com/200705280014
