Talk:Gordon Brown

I have corrected the account of opposition comment on "jobs for British people", since it is incontrovertible that the policy would contravene EU law and that is exactly their claim. I also added their challenge to hold a referendum on the draft EU Treaty, claiming that it is the rejected Constitution re-invented. These claims are interesting put together, because they are both reasonable positions on their own, but taken together fairly incoherent. Any UK political party is very vulnerable to popular opinion on what can be seen as pro-EU measures, and the Conservative position is clearly that of an opposition and not a party waiting to seize power.--Martin Baldwin-Edwards 06:01, 5 October 2007 (CDT)

Name

I wrote 'Gordon Brown' at the top because Brown is never known as James. Perhaps the full name could go elsewhere. Note how on the Tony Blair article we didn't start with 'Anthony Charles Lynton Blair'; this came later, in the bio of his early life. I think we could do the same here. John Stephenson 21:24, 21 October 2007 (CDT)

Of course. There is no point in using names by whichpeople are not known, but there is every reason to put the full or real name somewhere in the article. --Martin Baldwin-Edwards 22:47, 21 October 2007 (CDT)

I've moved it into a new section on his early life and political career. Of course, there are gaping holes in the biography, particularly for before he entered parliament. John Stephenson 23:40, 21 October 2007 (CDT)

Ihave read somewhere [not on WP!] about his early career. As I recall he started lecturingin politics at the Univ of Edinburgh, before going into politics [rather a rare transition in the UK]. There must be something on the PM's website about it...--Martin Baldwin-Edwards 01:11, 22 October 2007 (CDT)

Rewrite

Unless am persuaded not to, I propose to make the following changes to this article:

• the elimination of statements and associated references that depend for their authority upon journalistic speculation
• acknowledgement of Brown's rôle as co-founder of New Labour
• an account of his economic policy as Chancellor of the Exchequer and as Prime Minister
• an account of his initiatives in response to the onset of the Great Recession
• a summary of his unsuccessful 2010 election campaign.

I propose to go ahead with the associated changes to the paragraph structure, but to await responses to this proposal before amending the text. Then, if their are no objections, I plan to start with a complete rewrite of the opening paragraph.. Nick Gardner 09:43, 16 May 2010 (UTC)

The revised opening paragraph and the embryo timeline give an indication of what is intended. Suggestions would be welcome. Nick Gardner 14:14, 20 May 2010 (UTC)

Brown in opposition 2010

Gordon Brown has stated that he intends to stay on as Member of Parliament[1]. The main article will follow his career as an opposition MP in due courseNick Gardner 10:52, 22 May 2010 (UTC)

Yes, but it could instead be 'political career 2010-' or some-such. John Stephenson 07:12, 23 May 2010 (UTC)

The problem of balance

I have so far examined only one aspect of Gordon Brown's life: - his career as an economic decision-maker. I have considered venturing wider, for example to examine his performance as a team-leader, but I am doubtful whether it is now safe to attempt that. There is a case for tackling that question on the grounds that it is probably wrong to suggest that his extraordinary loss of popularity is attributable only to perceptions of his management of the economy. Unfortunately, though, it is only on that aspect of his career that objective and dispassionate evidence is available - and even there I may have been guilty of biassed selectivity. I am conscious that the picture that I have presented differs widely from the currently popular impression of what happened.

I have not yet tackled the Prime Minister period, but I anticipate that approach that I am adopting will require the replacement of nearly all of the existing text.

Nick Gardner 16:00, 27 May 2010 (UTC)