Bright's Blog: Gordon Brown

The propitious start to Gordon Brown's first year as Prime Minister - the calm and statesmanlike response to the foiled London and Glasgow terror attacks, the summer floods and the outbreak of foot-and-mouth - all now serve only to highlight how dreadful things became in the months that followed.

The crucial "hinge", when the fates turned against Brown, was not the cancelled election of October 2007, but the Northern Rock ... read more

It is tempting, in the light of the rebellion over the abolition of the 10p rate of income tax, to write off Gordon Brown's last Budget as chancellor as an unmitigated disaster.

In March 2007, however, it was seen by many as genuinely redistributive: the abolition of the blunt instrument of the 10p rate for those on lower incomes would allow him to target tax credits at pensioners, the poorest ... read more

The serialisation of Gordon Brown's latest book, Wartime Courage, has gone largely unnoticed. But in the week running up to Remembrance Sunday, the Daily Telegraph ran extracts of the Prime Minister's latest tribute to individual heroism, which followed two previous volumes on celebrated men and women of courage and everyday heroes. The extracts suggest that the new book, due for publication in April of next year, is a surprisingly good ... read more

As I rose from my seat to get off the train at Blackpool during the 2005 conference season, the grey-haired Scottish gent sitting opposite me decided to give me the benefit of his wisdom for the first time during the long journey from London. He had heard me talking on my mobile phone about the all-pervasive gloom of the Labour Party despite the general election victory, and told me not ... read more

On Thursday 7 September 1978, James Callaghan decided to address the nation in a formal prime ministerial broadcast about the forthcoming election. Everyone in the country expected him to announce that he was about to dissolve parliament and invite the British people to re-elect him as prime minister. During lunchtime drinks for reporters preparing to follow her forthcoming campaign, the Tory leader, Margaret Thatcher, said: "I don't imagine he's making ... read more

The well-ordered bookcase behind Ming Campbell's desk contains the usual Westminster mix of political biographies and current affairs. An emphasis on the Middle East and international affairs reflects his abiding passion. But there is also a copy of Heroes, the recently published book of essays by his good chum Gordon Brown.

The friendship grew out of their common links to Fife on the east coast of Scotland, which Campbell represents ... read more

Even before the terrorist attacks it was going to be a pivotal first week for Gordon Brown, Prime Minister. He had long been planning a root-and-branch cabinet reshuffle, an overhaul of the constitution and a major announcement on health. Questions had been raised about how he would react in an emergency, but he emerged strengthened from his first crisis. His bold appointment of Jacqui Smith appears to have paid off. ... read more

Slowly but relentlessly the Brown revolution is coming. It's a funny sort of insurrection, characterised by caution and stealth rather than the flag-waving and dancing in the streets that would usually accompany such momentous events. It has none of the fanfare that greeted that mildest of political insurgencies - the arrival of new Labour in power a decade ago. But there are already signs that the new era could, potentially, ... read more

The admission of the fear he felt every time he stepped up to take Prime Minister's questions came right at the end of a suitably accomplished final performance from Tony Blair. He should not have worried as the tributes flowed from his political opponents inside and outside his own party. Politically, it was largely meaningless. He effectively confirmed his new role as an envoy in the Middle East. He admitted ... read more