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United Kingdom - Head of Government

The Rt Hon Gordon Brown, Prime Minister

The Rt Hon Gordon Brown became Prime Minister on 27 June 2007 after becoming leader of the Labour Party.

Mr Brown was Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1997 to June 2007. He was Shadow Chancellor from 1992 to 1997; Shadow Trade and Industry spokesperson from 1989 to 1992; and Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury from 1987 to 1989.

Mr Brown became a Member of Parliament in 1983 and Chair of the Labour Party’s Scottish Council.

He worked as a journalist for Scottish TV from 1980 to 1983. Before that, from 1976 to 1980, Mr Brown lectured at the University of Edinburgh and Caledonian University. He served as Rector of the University of Edinburgh from 1972 to 1975.

Mr Brown has a PhD in history from the University of Edinburgh.

He has authored several books, including a biography of the Independent Labour Party politician, James Maxton, titled Maxton: A Biography (1986); Values, Visions and Voices: An Anthology of Socialism (1995); and Scotland: The Real Divide (1987), which was co-written with the late Foreign Secretary Robin Cook. More recently, a collection of Mr Brown’s speeches has been published as Moving Britain Forward; as well as Courage – Eight Portraits (2007), which looks at eight of his heroes and the influence they have had.

Mr Brown was born on 20 February 1951 in Glasgow, Scotland.