Michael Brown

Profile: Full name: Michael Russell Brown Area of interest: Politics Journals/Organisation: The Independent Email: mrbrown@talktalk.net Personal website: Website: Independent.co / Commentators Blog: Representation: Networks:

Biography: About: Education: Andrew Cairns Secondary Modern School, Sussex; University of York: Economics and Politics Career: Barclays Bank: graduate management trainee, 1972/1974; Swinton Conservative College: lecturer and tutor, 1974/1975; part-time research assistant to Michael Marshall MP, 1975/1976; law student, 1976/1977; Parliamentary research assistant to Nicholas Winterton MP, 1976/1979; MP for Brigg and Scunthorpe, 1979/1983; MP for Brigg and Cleethorpes, 1983/1997; The Independent: political sketchwriter, columnist, 1998- Current position/role: Commentator also writes/has written for: Other roles/Main role: former MP Other activities: Disclosures: Viewpoints/Insight: Broadcast media: Video: Regular appearances as a commentator and newspaper reviewer on British television, particularly on BBC News 24 and Sky News Controversy/Criticism: Awards/Honours: Other:

Books & Debate: Latest work: Speaking/Appearances: Current debate:Independent Live: Britain's Future: a pre-election debate featuring Charles Clarke, Chris Huhne, Michael Brown, Yasmin Alibhai-Brown and Steve Richards. Central Hall, Westminster, 3rd February 2010

The Independent: Column name: Remit/Info: Politics Section: Role: Commentator Pen-name: Email: m.brown@independent.co.uk Personal website: Website: Independent.co / Commentators Commissioning editor: Day published: Varies Regularity: Twice-monthly by average Column format: Average length:

Articles: 2010 Between 'fairness' and rough justice - Mr Cameron's attempt to design 'fair' cuts seems outwardly attractive, but he is unwittingly ceding philosophical groundto his political opponents - 8th October The only generation that matters - The election of Ed Miliband means that the wretched cult of callow political youth has now infected all three main political parties - 28th September An electoral pact could yet happen - In the darker recesses of their minds, Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg may already be thinking about how to present the case for the re-election of the Coalition Government - 14th September Cameron's safe from rebels – for now - It is early days, and the opportunities for mayhem from the right wing of the party are still considerable. For the moment, however, it remains leaderless - 8th September Now no MP will accept cuts - The Prime Minister now signals to all lobbyists, politicians and the media that raw politics, as well as economics, will drive the direction of government cuts - 10th August Coalition loyalty beats party loyalty - If the Tory-Lib Dem partnership achieves its economic objectives, it is hard to see its architects separating for the sake of an artificial general election dogfight - 5th August In government you can't expect to protect your privacy - Mr Cameron has shown a steely determination to re-shape ministerial appointments with a minimum of fuss - 31st May Integration a cause for celebration - Party politics may be the loser as a result of having a coalition, but the chance of better governance may be the winner - 25th May This will lead to plotting and scheming in the dining clubs - It took Mrs Thatcher nine years to rack up serious backbench resentments which eventually boiled over into open revolt – leading to the "stalking horse" candidacy of Sir Anthony Meyer in 1989 and her downfall the following year - 21st May The fortunes of Clegg and Cameron are now inextricably bound together - When the end came, all that was missing was the revelation that a pearl-handled revolver had been discovered, still smoking, in the Cabinet Room at No 10 - 12th May Failure of Cameron's pet candidates will strengthen his opponents' hand - The Tories have both "won" and "lost" this general election - 8th May Anyone who says they like elections is definitely lying - The MP's story - 8th April I wish I'd had the NI policy to call on as a Tory candidate - It provides the opening doorstep gambit throughout the campaign - 6th April Darling is disastrous but his argument is plausible – the Tories must up their game - In autumn the Tories won the argument but focus groups said their message scared voters - 25th March Tory jangled nerves replace high spirits - Michael Brown: Tory party needs the votes of ugly people in the chip shops of Cleethorpes as well as the smart cappuccino cafés of the Notting Hill set - 1st March Cameron needs to hold his nerve – or defeat will loom - What seemed a certain victory last autumn now looks like a struggle - 26th February

Articles: 2009 Cameron will regret flirting with Clegg - His New Year message suggests he is scared: he knows he won't sleepwalk to victory - 29th December Tories still dogged by 'rich toffs' image - Voters have lost trust in politics – not just the Government - 22nd December A great divide looms: MPs who have – and those who have not - The expenses saga could leave us with the two-tier system of a century ago - 11th December A waste of Her Majesty's time – and Parliament's - The lawto cut the deficit is as pointless as proposing when the sun should shine - 19th November Labour are running out of viable options – and people - The only wild card still available to Brown is the timing of an election - 10th November Prepare for resignations - A general feeling of unfairness pervades Westminster as expenses row resumes - 12th October Class warfare won't win it for Labour - The aspirational middle class blame Gordon Brown, not the Tories' City friends - 7th October A Tory victory is still far from certain - Their conference next week might still reveal one or two exposed flanks - 3rd October Cameron will not find it easy to form a new government - He will have only 100 re-elected MPs to choose from for ministerial posts - 27th August Open primaries have revolutionary power - Cameron has stolen a march on his political rivals by extending the democratic process - 11th August If I were a sitting MP, I'd be scared - Public trust won’t be restored until most of the faces in the Commons are replaced - 27th July It's just too easy for politicians to join the great gay lovefest - I don't want to rain on today's Gay Pride celebrations but I really cannot get very excited, now that most of the battles for gay equality have been so comprehensively won – and for which Tony Blair and Peter Tatchell each deserve a prominent place in history - 4th July Blues' victory does not deliver knock-out - Mr Brown's premiership remains alive – albeit on a life support machine - 6th June Voters have remembered Tories are rich grandees - When David Cameron reads this morning's latest ComRes survey it might cool his ardour for an immediate general election – and should make him less dismissive of proportional representation - 2nd June Time to pay MPs a proper salary - All this is a mess which has brought all politicians into even more disrepute - 9th May This time, Mr Brown, it's personal - Sometimes it's parties voters have in their sights. At others they aim at the leader - 5th May Is this the end of New Toryism too? - Cameron's 'Austerity' speech was in total contrast to his first speeches as leader - 28th April All eyes are now on Cameron - The pressure is on the Tories to confirm that they stand for fiscal balance - 14th April Vultures feeding on a rotten corpse - revelations about the alleged willingness of some Labour peers to take cash in return for seeking amendments to the law will be a nail in the coffin of Gordon Brown's government - 26th January This is a Shadow Cabinet picked to govern – they hope - Labour will test any differences between Clarke and Osborne to destruction - 20th January The Tories hold all the cards this year - Time and events rather than personalities will be Mr Cameron's greatest assets - 2nd January

Articles: 2008 The most irresponsible budget I have ever heard - The Government has painted the opposition as the 'do-nothing' party - 25th November 2008 Cameron must ditch Osborne as Tory shadow chancellor - If they want to be taken seriously, how about Redwood? - 14th November 2008 Under Reagan's gaze the faithful despaired - at the Capitol Hill Club, Washington DC, the Republican equivalent of the Carlton Club in St James's - 6th November 2008 The case for peer pressure - In its undemocatic form it's done more good than the Commons - 15th October 2008 A crisis that leaves Cameron struggling for a meaningful role - 1st October 2008 Why not tell voters the truth? - Gordon Brown has no more power to abolish boom and bust than he has to control Britain's weather - 20th August 2008 Forget friends like these, David - A Tory think-tank's gaffe over northern cities risks reviving talk of metropolitanism and elitism - 15th August 2008 Pity the Queen with a new PM - By polling day, she could have endured four prime ministers since the last election (three unelected) - Friday, 8th August 2008 A Brown exit is Cameron's biggest worry - Friday, 25th July 2008 Lib-Dems can try and turn themselves into Tories, but I fear they'll still be squeezed out - Friday, 18th July 2008 The PM's problem is that he lacks any legitimacy - Friday, 27th June 2008 Stand up for unpopular policies. You might win... - Wednesday, 18th June 2008 David Davis is one of my best friends, but his sole character flaw has got the better of him - Friday, 13th June 2008 When MPs must face up to their death sentence - Friday, 23rd May 2008 It's far worse for Brown than it was for Major - Wednesday, 14th May 2008 Furious fishwives and a party in deep peril - Thursday, 17th April 2008 At last, the true heir to the mantle of Geoffrey Howe - Thursday, 13th March 2008 Dark days and dark arts: is history repeating itself? - Wednesday, 23rd January 2008 Brown risks playing straight into Tory hands - Tuesday, 1st January 2008

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Links: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Brown_%28UK_politician%29