Gordon Brown

Labour MP Dunfermline East

Date of birth

20 February 1951

Political profile

Gordon Brown is probably the second most powerful person in Britain.

He has been Chancellor of the Exchequer since Labour's election victory in 1997 and has overseen an unprecedented growth in the Treasury's power and influence across government.

He has also had senior responsibility for Labour's recent general election campaigns.

Brown was a key ally of Tony Blair in the early days of his Labour leadership, having agreed not to run as leader himself in return for the Chancellorship.

Although stories of splits between the two men are common, they are certainly both responsible for the nature of the modern Labour party.

Brown was first elected to the Commons in 1983, and was tipped from the start to go far in politics; he is a skilled economist and an extremely accomplished public speaker.

He married Sarah Macaulay in August 2000.

Contact

Constituency office: 01383 611702

Education

Kirkcaldy High School
Edinburgh University (MA 1972, PhD 1982)

Non-political history

Edinburgh University: Rector 1972-75
Temporary lecturer 1975-76
Lecturer in politics, Glasgow College of Technology 1976-80
Journalist, then editor, Scottish Television current affairs department 1980-83

Electoral history

Member for Dunfermline East since June, 1983