Mr Brown, who stepped down as PM after the general election but remains the MP for the remote Scottish constituency of Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath, announced this week his intention to devote his time in the field of international development ditching the usual post-power path of former world leaders of writing memoirs and obtaining high-money book deals and a busy calendar of lucrative speaking engagements.In a move no-doubt trying dispel the negative press attention brought on by the many criticisms contained in Tony Blair's memoirs released on Wednesday, a statement confirmed he had accepted new appointments in a series of aid, education and development initiatives: as convenor of the Global Campaign for Education working with Queen Rania of Jordan, working on a new programme to bring the internet to Africa and joining the board of Tim Berners Lee's World Wide Web Foundation.
But the statement insisted that he will receive no payment for his new roles, saying “each of these positions are pro bono and Mr Brown will not accept any remuneration.”
“To facilitate their ongoing public policy work, the Office of Gordon and Sarah Brown has been set up to employ a number of staff to work on the projects they are committed to,” it continued.
“Gordon and Sarah have always made clear they are determined to continue to make their contribution to public life and these latest initiatives are a sign of Gordon's priorities for the future.”
However, his immediately priority has been putting the finishing touches to his book on the global financial crisis due to be published on November 1st, which the publisher Simon & Schuster says will offer “insight into the events that led to the fiscal downward spiral and the reactions of world leaders as they took steps to avoid further disaster”.
Appropriately considering the widespread impact the financial crisis had on the British economy, all profits from the currently untitled book will be donated to charities associated with the Brown family.
