5. James Gordon Brown (born 20 February 1951) is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007. Brown has been a Member of Parliament (MP) since 1983, first for Dunfermline East and currently for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath.
After initial rises in opinion polls following Brown becoming Prime Minister, Labour's popularity declined with the onset of a recession in 2008, leading to poor results in the local and European elections in 2009.
On 10 May 2010, Brown announced he would stand down as leader of the Labour Party, and instructed the party to put into motion the processes to elect a new leader. On 11 May, he officially resigned as Prime Minister and Leader of the Labour Party. He was succeeded as Prime Minister by David Cameron, and as Leader of the Labour Party by Ed Miliband.
Later, Brown played a crucial role in the campaign surrounding the Scottish independence referendum of 2014, galvanizing support behind maintaining the union.
Unit I. UK: from Empire to Democracy
Unit I. UK: from Empire to Democracy
6. stockbroker belt (Human Geography) Brit — the area outside a city, esp. London, in which rich commuters (who traditionally vote for the Conservative Party) live
7. amour proper — a sense of one's own worth; self-respect, from French ‘love of oneself'
8. extortion racket — a criminal offense of obtaining money, property, or services from a person, entity, or institution, by use of intimidation or threats (here used metaphorically)
COMPREHENSION ASSIGNMENTS
A. In pairs, discuss how you understand the phrases/clauses below. If still in doubt, discuss the phrases as a class.
1. ... a 307-year-old union, which once ruled a third of humanity and still serves as a role-model to many;
2. ... it is the nationalists who have fire in their bellies;
3. . a narrow victory for the status quo;
4. . Scottish whingeing and freeloading;
5. It is, of course, possible that independence would cure Scotland's entitlement culture and revive its entrepreneurial side.
6. But their statist philosophies are more likely to drive Edinburgh's fund managers, . and other talented Scots south.
7. Independence would also impose one-off costs .
8. . that hardly suggests a Scottish administration straining at a leash held tight by Westminster.
