Michael Brown



Profile:


Full name: Michael Russell Brown

Area of interest: Politics

Journals: The Independent

Email: [mailto:mrbrown@talktalk.net mrbrown@talktalk.net]

Website: Independent.co / Commentators

Blog:

Agent:

Networks:



Biography:
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
 * see Knitting Circle: biography


 * also writes/has written for:

Other roles: former MP

Other activities:

Disclosures:

Viewpoints/Insight:

TV/Radio: Regular appearances as a commentator and newspaper reviewer on British television, particularly on BBC News 24 and Sky News

Controversy/Criticism: The Knitting Circle: press cuttings

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 remit: Politics

Section:

Role: Commentator

Pen-name:

Email: [mailto:m.brown@independent.co.uk m.brown@independent.co.uk]

Website: Independent.co / Commentators

Commissioning editor:

Day published: Varies

Regularity: Twice-monthly by average

Column format:

Average length:



Articles: 2010

 * '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
 * 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
 * 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
 * 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
 * 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
 * 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
 * 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
 * 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
 * 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
 * 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
 * of Cameron's pet candidates will strengthen his opponents' hand'' - The Tories have both "won" and "lost" this general election - 8th May
 * who says they like elections is definitely lying'' - The MP's story - 8th April
 * 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
 * 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
 * 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
 * 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

 * will regret flirting with Clegg'' - His New Year message suggests he is scared: he knows he won't sleepwalk to victory - 29th December
 * still dogged by 'rich toffs' image'' - Voters have lost trust in politics – not just the Government - 22nd December
 * 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
 * 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
 * are running out of viable options – and people'' - The only wild card still available to Brown is the timing of an election - 10th November
 * for resignations'' - A general feeling of unfairness pervades Westminster as expenses row resumes - 12th October
 * warfare won't win it for Labour'' - The aspirational middle class blame Gordon Brown, not the Tories' City friends - 7th October
 * Tory victory is still far from certain'' - Their conference next week might still reveal one or two exposed flanks - 3rd October
 * 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
 * primaries have revolutionary power'' - Cameron has stolen a march on his political rivals by extending the democratic process - 11th August
 * 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
 * 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
 * victory does not deliver knock-out'' - Mr Brown's premiership remains alive – albeit on a life support machine - 6th June
 * 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
 * to pay MPs a proper salary'' - All this is a mess which has brought all politicians into even more disrepute - 9th May
 * time, Mr Brown, it's personal'' - Sometimes it's parties voters have in their sights. At others they aim at the leader - 5th May
 * this the end of New Toryism too?'' - Cameron's 'Austerity' speech was in total contrast to his first speeches as leader - 28th April
 * eyes are now on Cameron'' - The pressure is on the Tories to confirm that they stand for fiscal balance - 14th April
 * 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
 * is a Shadow Cabinet picked to govern – they hope'' - Labour will test any differences between Clarke and Osborne to destruction - 20th January
 * Tories hold all the cards this year'' - Time and events rather than personalities will be Mr Cameron's greatest assets - 2nd January



Articles: 2008

 * most irresponsible budget I have ever heard'' - The Government has painted the opposition as the 'do-nothing' party - 25th November 2008
 * must ditch Osborne as Tory shadow chancellor'' - If they want to be taken seriously, how about Redwood? - 14th November 2008
 * 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
 * case for peer pressure'' - In its undemocatic form it's done more good than the Commons - 15th October 2008
 * crisis that leaves Cameron struggling for a meaningful role'' - 1st October 2008
 * 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
 * friends like these, David'' - A Tory think-tank's gaffe over northern cities risks reviving talk of metropolitanism and elitism - 15th August 2008
 * 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



Links:

 * Wikipedia bio