The Reintroduction of Gordon Brown

Political nostalgia seems to be rearing its head a lot of late, with many lauding over the days of liberal leadership in an increasingly right-wing leaning west.

Some figures have chosen to take advantage of this fact, with Tony Blair choosing to emerge from obscurity to complain about the state of the Labour party leadership under Corbyn and even old school right-winger, and former US President, George Bush Jr found himself resurrected in the form of US chat show appearances; suddenly the darling of everyone who longs for the days before Donald Trump and austerity riddled Britain.

Political nostalgia seems to be rearing its head a lot of late

But one figure I never thought I’d see again is Gordon Brown.
The former Prime Minister’s legacy is mixed to put it kindly, but his talk at Newcastle University aimed to somewhat set the record straight about his term at No. 10 and promote his new book at the same time…

As a speaker he isn’t half bad, entertaining anecdotes and interesting snippets of life behind the scenes at parliament, of which Mr Brown has many, are always worth turning up for.

And rightfully so, serving as chancellor for an inordinate amount of time before his stint as PM, he racked up an impressive history and many laudable achievements along the way including his efforts at domestic reform.

Ultimately though, the topic of the 2010 election emerged and the inevitable justifications followed for the unrecovered losses.

…he racked up an impressive history and many laudable achievements along the way

Few acknowledgements of past errors are offered, or failings of the party admitted, instead we got a sense of reminiscence with little constructive discussion.

Some interesting recent trends were highlighted however, including his opinions on the popularity of Trump in the US and the need to address offshore banking, which he made very clear was an issue his party raised to deaf ears during his tenure.

The future of British politics however lies in, you guessed it, the future.
The older powerhouses of the UK’s political system hold the keys to great knowledge and experience that we as a country should draw from, but let’s remember to keep them at arm’s length and remember to look forward not just back.

Gordon Brown Labour Newcastle University politics

Last modified: 28th November 2017