Gordon Brown: teaching, charity work or the adrenalin of power?

After losing the general election, Gordon Brown made some rather altruistic noises about his plans for the future, as was widely reported in the media at the time, including this from The Independent on 10th May 2010:

'In recent weeks, he has suggested that he might look for work in education or charity after leaving office.

'But many observers believe he will find it difficult to wean himself off the adrenalin of power and the intellectual challenge of high-level decision-making and may seek a role in an international institution.'

Less than a year later, with news that he's angling to become managing director of the IMF, the 'many observers' cited by The Independent turn out to have been rather closer to the mark than the worthy-sounding plans that Mr Brown already seems to have forgotten about.

5 comments:

Roger said...

Brown really does seem to be living that line from Marx about history repeating itself first as tragedy and then as farce.

Had he only forgotten his long feud with Tony Blair he could have taken such a job at the IMF or the World Bank in 2003 or so when he was certainly being touted for them - then he would have been the gloomy and resentful King over the Water waiting to return in glory when the Blarite project finally collapsed.

Or failing that if only David Miliband had done his duty to party and country and knifed Brown in the back in Autumn 2009, now there would be two Milibands in Number 10 and 11 with Nick Clegg as David's mini-me - in which case Gordon would now be a cert for the IMF job rather than having to be humiliatingly blackballed by Cameron.

Hadleigh Roberts said...

I've been saying that Brown could become head of the IMF since early 2009. Granted, that was based more on Strauss-Khan's plans than Brown's.

poe said...

I agree that after we live the office we should do something useful for this world. I learned this from Yuri Mintskovsky a person in loved with charity work. After he steps out of his office the first thing he does is to raise founds for his organization. And what I like about him is that after he raises enough money to organize o trip to Africa or something he starts searching for volunteers. That's how I met him and I'm glad I did because now I know how important it makes you feel doing charity work.

Sadekya Foundations said...

Brown needs to be commended to take up charitable work after holding high office. It does give favourable publicity to the charitable cause.

Unknown said...

Very will said, but its up to the people what was good and bad.. But any way thanks for your message the family international is proud of you!!!