Profile: Gordon Brown expected to succeed Blair

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Source: CCTV.com | 05-11-2007 08:32

British Chancellor Gordon Brown leaves 11 Downing Street after a cabinet meeting in London, Thursday, May 10, 2007 (AP Photo/Sang Tan)

Britain's long-serving Chancellor is widely seen as Blair's successor.

Gordon Brown was born in 1951 and has been the Member of Parliament since 1983.

Brown was the party's opposition spokesperson for Treasury and Economic Affairs from 1992, before Labour came to power.

Before becoming Shadow Chancellor he held posts on the opposition front bench as Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury and Shadow Trade and Industry Secretary.

Brown was appointed as Chancellor of the Exchequer - the UK's Finance Minister - in May 1997 after Labour landslide election victory against the Conservative Party.

During his time as Chancellor, Brown has increasingly appeared on the world stage.

He has made a number of visits to African countries in an attempt to promote debt relief amongst the G8 and G7 meetings of the world's richest nations.

The British economy has seen low interest rates, falling unemployment and has been characterized by fiscal prudence during his term in office.

Gordon Brown has already been nominated as the next Labour leader by more than half of the Labour party.

According to tradition, the leader of the largest party in Parliament serves as prime minister.

Editor:Du Xiaodan