Premiership of Gordon Brown

Main article: Gordon Brown

The Premiership of Gordon Brown began on 27 June 2007, when Brown accepted the Queen's invitation to form a government, replacing Tony Blair as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. While serving as Prime Minister, Brown also serves as the First Lord of the Treasury, the Minister for the Civil Service and the Leader of the Labour Party.

Bid for Labour leadership

After months of speculation, Gordon Brown formally announced on 11 May 2007 his bid for the Labour leadership and replaced Tony Blair as Prime Minister on 27 June 2007. On Channel 4 News on 16 May 2007 it was announced that Andrew Mackinlay had nominated Brown giving him 308 nominations, sufficient to avoid a leadership contest (although another report states that the decisive nomination was made by Tony Wright with MacKinlay yet to nominate at that point).

Since Blair's announcement of his resignation and Brown's bid for leadership, the Labour Party gained a bounce in the polls, gaining three points after months of low polls trailing behind the opposition, the Conservative Party, although they have since lost such a lead.

Brown launched his campaign website the same day as formally announcing his bid for leadership "Gordon Brown for Britain".

Policies

Brown has been careful not to suggest that there will be any U-turns in the key areas of Blair's social policy, or any radical breakaway from New Labour. He has, however, proposed a different style of government than that of Blair's much-criticised 'presidential-style' government. He has proposed a few policy initiatives, with more expected to come during the course of the campaign. Brown hasn't been too clear on certain parts of his policies, but he has suggested that a Brown-led government would introduce the following:

• Sleaze-busting package - Following the cash for honours scandal, Brown emphasised cracking down on sleaze. This has led to belief that Brown will introduce a new ministerial code that sets out clear standards of behaviour for ministers. He has said that he intends to strip Number 10 Downing Street of some the powers conferred on it by royal prerogative, including the ability to declare war, thus giving the Parliament more powers and rights to vet and veto appointments to senior public positions, in a bid to crack down on cronyism.
• Constitutional reform - Brown has not made it clear whether he proposes a written constitution – something the UK has never had – or a looser bill of rights. He said in a speech when announcing his bid that he wants a “better constitution” that is “clear about the rights and responsibilities of being a citizen in Britain today”. He plans to set up an all-party convention to look at new powers for Parliament. This convention may also look at rebalancing powers between Whitehall and local government. Brown has also said that he will give Parliament the final say on whether British troops are sent into action in future.
• Housing - House Planning restrictions are likely to be relaxed. Brown has said that he wants to release more land and ease access to ownership with shared equity schemes. He backed a proposal to build five new eco-towns, each housing between 10,000 and 20,000 homeowners – up to 100,000 new homes in total.
• Health - Brown intends to have doctors' surgeries open on the weekends, and GPs on call in the evenings. Doctors were given the right of opting out of out-of-hours care two years ago, under a controversial pay deal, signed by then-Health Secretary John Reid, that awarded them a 22 per cent pay rise in 2006.Brown intends to further privatise the NHS by introducing Polyclinics which will be run by private companies.
• Foreign policy - Brown remains committed to the Iraq War, but said in a speech that he would "learn the lessons" from the mistakes made in Iraq. He remains supportive of American policies, but has said that he wants a more "solid but not slavish" relationship with Washington.
• SOCPA - Brown intends to repeal sections 132 to 137 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005, thereby enabling protest within the area around Parliament without prior permission from the Metropolitan Police.
• ID cards - Brown’s campaign manager has hinted that one of Blair’s unpopular key policies will be reviewed. The cost of the £5.5 billion scheme is spiralling. However, Brown said on 12 May that he would press ahead with it.
• Europe - Brown has supported the EU Reform Treaty and has repeatedly denied calls for a referendum on the issue.

Acts as Prime Minister

On his first day in office Brown rescinded the order in council which gave Alastair Campbell, who left office in 2003, and Jonathan Powell, his predecessor's political advisers, authority to issue instructions to civil servants. Brown's senior advisers - such as Spencer Livermore, Sue Nye, Mike Ellam and Gavin Kelly - continue to exert considerable influence at the heart of government. Other senior advisors working for Brown in 10 Downing Street include former Treasury Special Advisers Damian Mcbride, Jonathan Ashworth and Jo Dipple and former senior Labour Party official, Fiona Gordon.

Brown faced a major prime-ministerial challenge two days after entering office, when two unexploded car bombs were discovered in London. The following day, June 30 2007, another car was driven into the entrance of the main terminal of Glasgow International Airport in a second apparent terrorist attack, causing a fire and considerable damage to the building. Brown was born in Glasgow, leading to speculation that the attacks were motivated against him. As a result of both the London and Glasgow incidents, Brown chaired emergency COBRA meetings to review plans to protect the British public. He also spoke to the First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond regarding the incidents.

On July 3, Brown announced a programme of constitutional reform, including limits on the powers of the Prime Minister, extensions to the powers of Parliament, a consultation on a bill of rights and a possible lowering of the minimum voting age.

On July 7 2007 Brown announced £14m in flood aid for the flood-hit areas in the north of England.

On July 11, Brown announced that housing would be at the top of his political agenda, promising three million new homes to be built by 2020.