Gordon Brown, the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, recently emphasized that he does not want to act as a "backseat driver" for Andy Burnham's new government, but it seems he cannot control himself in this regard.
Brown's Frequent Advisories
Reports indicate that several cabinet ministers and senior Labour politicians have stated that Brown, who was Prime Minister from 2007 to 2010, advises them by sending emails in capital letters. Burnham, who has only been in office for 10 weeks, said at the Labour Party conference on Tuesday that he is looking to emulate Brown and referred to him as a model for leading the UK during a crisis.
Brown's Advisory Role
Burnham stated at the conference, "As Gordon Brown said, we can be the nation of innovation in the world, and he is right." He also expressed hope that the UK could be a "honest broker" in discussions regarding AI regulation. Burnham referenced Brown's role during the 2008 financial crisis, saying, "Just as Gordon acted at that time, the UK must step up again and bring people together around what is right for the future."
Burnham served as Health Secretary in Brown's government and has selected several of his colleagues from Brown's ministerial team for key positions in the new government.
In interviews at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool, it was clear that Brown is in constant communication with officials. Edward Miliband, who was his advisor at the Treasury during Brown's time, said they recently spoke on the phone. John Healey, the Treasury Secretary, also revealed in an interview that he receives emails in capital letters from Brown.
Douglas Alexander, the Scottish Secretary, similarly mentioned receiving messages from Brown, stating that he represented a Scottish constituency in Parliament.
The new leader of the Scottish Labour Party, Michael Mara, also said in an interview that he has received advisory emails from Brown. He referred to Brown as a constant force for good and said he feels proud every time he receives an email from him.
Brown, who has been appointed as an advisor on global finance and cooperation, holds a formal "unpaid" and "part-time" role, but this does not prevent him from contacting ministers during non-working hours.
