Gordon Brown

June 16, 2008 -- London -- PRIME MINISTER BROWN: I'm delighted to welcome President Bush and the First Lady back to London. And his visit today is an opportunity to celebrate the historic partnership of shared purpose that unites the United Kingdom and the United States of America. We both share a great love of history and about how we have forged the ideas of democracy and liberty over centuries.

George W. Bush with UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown: White House photo by Eric Draper    » read more »

01 April 2008 -- Britain's defense secretary has announced plans to reduce troop levels in southern Iraq have been postponed after a recent flare-up of violence around the city of Basra.

Defense Secretary Des Browne told members of parliament that the expected spring homecoming for thousands of British troops based in Basra has been delayed.

"In October we announced our plan from drawing down UK troops from southern Iraq," he said. "In the light of last week's events, however, it is prudent that we pause any further reductions while the current situation has unfolding. It is absolutely right that military commanders review plans when conditions on the ground change."    » read more »

21 November 2007 -- British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has apologized and ordered a review after the personal financial details of about 25 million people were lost in the mail. The loss of the huge amount of sensitive information from the Revenue Department has sparked widespread fears of identity fraud and theft throughout the country.    » read more »

19 November 2007 -- British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is urging all nations to rise to the challenges of combatting global warming, which he compared to the challenge of recovery after World War II. Mr. Brown wants his country to set an example and cut carbon emissions by at least 60 percent by the year 2050.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown says there will be hard choices and tough decisions ahead, and the world must rise to the challenge of combating the effects of global warming.    » read more »

17 November 2007 -- Reacting quickly to the latest UN climate change report, Prime Minister Gordon Brown is pledging that Britain will lead the world in reducing carbon emissions.

In what is being described as a landmark report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) describes the impact of global warming in stark terms, saying it will affect both rich and poor in the coming decades.    » read more »

Sec. Gates's comments about British withdrawal do not diminish need to transition the mission

October 12, 2007 -- WASHINGTON – Defense Secretary Robert Gates yesterday stated that the Pentagon had coordinated with the British military on its planned withdrawal of half of its forces from Iraq. Following those comments, U.S. Senator Robert Menendez, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today said the withdrawal of British troops only accentuates the need to transition the mission for the American troops.

Sen. Menendez released the following statement:    » read more »

WASHINGTON, Oct. 9, 2007 – The British government’s decision to cut its forces in Iraq by half in the coming months has been thoroughly discussed with Multinational Force Iraq commanders and U.S. officials, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said here today.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown told Parliament on Oct. 8 that he would remove half of the 5,000-man British contribution in Iraq in the spring. British forces will continue to train and work with Iraqi security forces, Brown said.    » read more »

08 October 2007 -- British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has announced a further drawdown of British troops from Iraq - leaving a total of 2,500 troops in southern Iraq by next spring.

Addressing lawmakers in the House of Commons, Mr. Brown praised Britain's success in training 30,000 Iraqi military troops and police officers. He said their ability to take control of security in southern Iraq make further British troop withdrawals possible.

"We plan from next spring to reduce force numbers in southern Iraq to a figure of 2,500," he said.    » read more »

03 September 2007 -- The highly symbolic pull out of British forces from Basra Palace to a nearby airbase is widely seen as the beginning of the end to British involvement in Iraq.

After four years, Britain's presence in Iraq's second-largest city is no more. Just more than 500 soldiers were stationed at the complex that used to be a one of Saddam's palaces in the center of Basra.

Mortar attacks against the palace had become commonplace.

As the British troops packed up, responsibility for the base was handed over to Iraqi security forces.    » read more »

President Bush welcomes British Prime Minister Gordon Brown to the presidential retreat at Camp David, Md

30 July 2007 (By VOA News) -- British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and President Bush are expected to discuss the war in Iraq, global trade, and the conflict in Sudan's Darfur region during talks Monday.

The two leaders are at Camp David, the presidential retreat outside the U.S. capital in rural Maryland.

Mr. Brown arrived in Washington late Sunday and joined President Bush at Camp David for a dinner meeting.    » read more »

27 June 2007 -- Gordon Brown took over as Britain's new prime minister after his long-time political friend and rival, Tony Blair stepped down just hours earlier, after 10 years in office. VOA's Sonja Pace reports from London on the transfer of power and on Mr. Blair's appointment as special international peace envoy to the Middle East.

It was a day of political tradition, ceremony and drama, the official transfer of power from one prime minister to another.    » read more »

12 May 2007 -- In London, Finance Minister Gordon Brown has launched his bid to lead the British government after Prime Minister Tony Blair steps down next month.

Mr. Blair, who also will resign as leader of the ruling Labor Party on June 27, said Friday he is delighted to support Brown's candidacy to succeed him at the end of June.

Brown has managed the British economy well, Mr. Blair says, adding that the 54-year-old Scot has the strength, judgment and experience to make a great prime minister.    » read more »