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Historical person

George Brown Biography

Historical biography and chronological timeline for George Brown, based on 54 World History Database records associated with Great Britain.

54 records1854โ€“200133 events2 places

Chronological biography

1854

Battle of Alma20 September 1854
Warfare / Crimean War ยท Alma

Commands the Light Division during victory over Russia during the march on Sevastopol.

Battle of Alma20 September 1854
Warfare / Crimean War ยท General ยท Alma

Commands the Light Division during the Alma advance.

1945

Election1945
Politics / Labour Party

As a TGWU official, Brown is an attractive candidate to Labour constituencies seeking a candidate, as the TGWU would sponsor him and pay election expenses, selected for Belper, a mixed constituency near Derby which was one of the top Labour target seats, Brown wins the seat with a majority of nearly 9,000

1947

Agriculture Act1947
Government / Labour Party Government ยท JPS

George Brown works to pass the Agriculture Act 1947 which provides price support to farmers, and also more arable land and ease shortages of machinery and foodstuffs at a time when Government policy aimed at increasing food production so rationing in the United Kingdom could be lifted

Legislation1947
Government / Labour Party Government ยท JPS

George Brown works to pass the Agriculture Act 1947 which provides price support to farmers, and also more arable land and ease shortages of machinery and foodstuffs at a time when Government policy aimed at increasing food production so rationing in the United Kingdom could be lifted

Rationing1947
Government / Labour Party Government ยท JPS

George Brown works to pass the Agriculture Act 1947 which provides price support to farmers, and also more arable land and ease shortages of machinery and foodstuffs at a time when Government policy aimed at increasing food production so rationing in the United Kingdom could be lifted

JPSApril 1947
Government / Labour Party Government ยท JPS

Appointed as Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries

Parliamentary Private SecretaryApril 1947
Government / Labour Party Government ยท Parliamentary Private Secretary

Appointed PPS for Chancellor of the Exchequer Hugh Dalton

1951

Minister of Works1951
Government / Labour Party Government ยท Minister of Works

Appointed Minister of Works

1953

Mirror Group Newspapers1953
Politics / Labour Party

Hired as a consultant by the Mirror Group newspapers, enabling him to stay in politics

1960

Deputy Leader1960
Politics / Labour Party ยท Deputy Leader

Brown is elected, beating Lee by 146 votes to 83 when Callaghan had been eliminated

1962

Deputy Party Leader1962
Government / Labour Party Government ยท Deputy Leader of Labour Party

Appointed Deputy Leader of the Labour Party & also becomes Deputy Prime Minister

Deputy Prime Minister1962
Government / Labour Party Government ยท Deputy Leader of Labour Party

Appointed Deputy Leader of the Labour Party & also becomes Deputy Prime Minister

1963

Election1963
Politics / Labour Party ยท Deputy Leader of Labour Party

On the 2nd & final vote for the leaderhip Wilson wins by 144 to Browns 103 votes. 1st ballot for the party leadership Wilson wins 115, Brown 88 & Callaghan 41 votes

Election1963
Politics / Labour Party ยท Deputy Leader

This record states: And Wilson was elected.

Election1963
Politics / Labour Party ยท Deputy Leader

This record states: And a drunk (Brown)", many Labour MPs who were prepared to accept Brown as deputy leader were unhappy with the idea of his being in charge.

Election1963
Politics / Labour Party ยท Deputy Leader

This record states: But had good reason not to trust Brown because of private knowledge of his excessive drinking, which exacerbated his rude and aggressive style, Crosland called the leadership election "A choice between a crook (Wilson).

Election1963
Politics / Labour Party ยท Deputy Leader

This record states: Many on the right of the Labour Party, including Anthony Crosland and Denis Healey, support James Callaghan for the leadership, opposed to Wilson.

1964

Diplomatic Mission at London1964
Government / Labour Party Government ยท Deputy Leader of Labour Party ยท London

Forced to apologise to the American Ambassador for a drunken speech about Kennedy

Election1964
Politics / Labour Party ยท Deputy Leader

Plays an important part in advising Wilson about Labours campaign strategy in the general election, it is decided that Wilson would make only a limited number of major campaign speeches outside London, while Brown would tour the country speaking in all the marginal seats (his main theme was predicting an imminent economic crisis)

Minister of DEA1964
Government / Labour Party Government ยท Minister of DEA

Appointed Minister of the Department of Economic Affairs

Scandal1964
Government / Labour Party Government ยท Deputy Leader of Labour Party ยท London

Makes a drunken tribute on TV to Kennedy after his assassination

Department of Economic Affairs (DEA)October 1964
Government / Labour Party Government ยท Deputy Leader of Labour Party

Brown was appointed to the newly created Department of Economic Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister in October 1964 hoping to institute long-term economic planning and remove some of the power of the Treasury

DevaluationOctober 1964
Government / Labour Party Government ยท Deputy Leader of Labour Party

Brown was told that the budget deficit for the coming year was forecast at pounds 800 million, double what the Labour Party had predicted as the worst possible figure before the election, leading economic ministers were presented with three options, including devaluation of the pound sterling, to meet the crisis, they decide on a temporary surcharge on imported goods

Economy of Great BritainOctober 1964
Government / Labour Party Government ยท Deputy Leader of Labour Party

Brown was appointed to the newly created Department of Economic Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister in October 1964 hoping to institute long-term economic planning and remove some of the power of the Treasury

Economy of Great BritainOctober 1964
Government / Labour Party Government ยท Deputy Leader of Labour Party

Brown was told that the budget deficit for the coming year was forecast at pounds 800 million, double what the Labour Party had predicted as the worst possible figure before the election, leading economic ministers were presented with three options,

Economy of Great BritainOctober 1964
Government / Labour Party Government ยท Deputy Leader of Labour Party

including devaluation of the pound sterling, to meet the crisis, they decide on a temporary surcharge on imported goods.

1965

Oil Sanctions1965
Government / Labour Party Government ยท Deputy Leader of Labour Party ยท London

Visits the USA & arranges oil sanctions against Rhodesia who have just declared UDI

Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI)1965
Government / Labour Party Government ยท Deputy Leader of Labour Party ยท London

Visits the USA & arranges oil sanctions against Rhodesia who have just declared UDI

Visit to London1965
Government / Labour Party Government ยท Deputy Leader of Labour Party ยท London

Visits the USA & arranges oil sanctions against Rhodesia who have just declared UDI

Economy of Great BritainSeptember 1965
Government / Labour Party Government ยท Minister of DEA

The National Plan aimed to achieve a 25 per cent increase in the national product between 1964 and 1970 at a growth rate of 3.8 per cent per annum compound

Economy of Great BritainSeptember 1965
Government / Labour Party Government ยท Minister of DEA

The National Plan is a summary of action required to improve the balance of payments & secure rapid and sustained growth, (I) Government spending overseas on defence has to be cut quite drastically and aid to developing countries restrained until the deficit is eliminated, (2) Private investment abroad to be

Economy of Great BritainSeptember 1965
Government / Labour Party Government ยท Minister of DEA

cent in real terms from 1964 to 1970 to achieve the increase in capacity and the growth of productivity required for the additional exports and import reduction.

Economy of Great BritainSeptember 1965
Government / Labour Party Government ยท Minister of DEA

cut, reducing the net outflow of private capital by pounds 150 million next year (3) The Little Neddies have to work out schemes by which output per head can be increased, imports saved and exports boosted, fiscal restraints on imports (4) Manufacturing investment to be increased by about 7 per

National PlanSeptember 1965
Government / Labour Party Government ยท Minister of DEA

(4) Manufacturing investment to be increased by about 7 per cent in real terms from 1964 to 1970 to achieve the increase in capacity and the growth of productivity required for the additional exports and import reduction.

National PlanSeptember 1965
Government / Labour Party Government ยท Minister of DEA

Private investment abroad to be cut, reducing the net outflow of private capital by pounds 150 million next year (3) The Little Neddies have to work out schemes by which output per head can be increased, imports saved and exports boosted, fiscal restraints on imports

National PlanSeptember 1965
Government / Labour Party Government ยท Minister of DEA

The National Plan aimed to achieve a 25 per cent increase in the national product between 1964 and 1970 at a growth rate of 3.8 per cent per annum compound. The DEA is tasked with the preparation of a National Plan for the economy, published in September 1965

National PlanSeptember 1965
Government / Labour Party Government ยท Minister of DEA

The National Plan is a summary of action required to improve the balance of payments & secure rapid and sustained growth, (I) Government spending overseas on defence has to be cut quite drastically and aid to developing countries restrained until the deficit is eliminated, (2)

1966

Department of Economic Affairs (DEA)1966
Government / Labour Party Government ยท Deputy Leader of Labour Party

After the 1966 general election at which Labour won re-election with a Parliamentary majority of 96, the Government was hit by a severe financial crisis the question of devaluation is raised again, with Brown now strongly supporting it, but Harold Wilson was firmly opposed, preferring a set of deflationary measures including spending cuts and interest rate rises, Brown believed that these measures would damage the economy

Devaluation1966
Government / Labour Party Government ยท Deputy Leader of Labour Party

After the 1966 general election at which Labour won re-election with a Parliamentary majority of 96, the Government was hit by a severe financial crisis the question of devaluation is raised again, with Brown now strongly supporting it, but Harold Wilson was firmly opposed, preferring a set of deflationary measures including spending cuts and interest rate rises, Brown believed that these measures would damage the economy

Economy of Great Britain1966
Government / Labour Party Government ยท Deputy Leader of Labour Party

After the 1966 general election at which Labour won re-election with a Parliamentary majority of 96, the Government was hit by a severe financial crisis the question of devaluation is raised again, with Brown now strongly supporting it, but Harold Wilson was firmly opposed, preferring a set of deflationary measures including spending cuts and interest rate rises, Brown believed that these measures would damage the economy

Haiphong Bombing CriticismJuly 1966
Warfare / Vietnam War, 2nd ยท Foreign Secretary ยท Foreign Secretary of United Kingdom ยท London

Criticizes aspects of US bombing policy while keeping Britain aligned with Washington

Foreign Secretary of Great Britain11 August 1966
Government / Labour Party Government ยท Foreign Secretary of Great Britain

Appointed Foreign Minister

1967

State of Emergency1967
Government / Labour Party Government ยท Foreign Secretary of Great Britain ยท London

Adivises Wilson to declare an emergency after rising oil prices & pressure on sterling

Conference of London28 March 1967
Government / Labour Party Government ยท Foreign Secretary of Great Britain ยท London

1st day of the Anglo-Maltese conference to discuss British withdrawal

Independence of Great Britain28 March 1967
Government / Labour Party Government ยท Foreign Secretary of Great Britain ยท London

1st day of the Anglo-Maltese conference to discuss British withdrawal

Independence of Malta28 March 1967
Government / Labour Party Government ยท Foreign Secretary of Great Britain ยท London

1st day of the Anglo-Maltese conference to discuss British withdrawal

1968

Resignation of George Brown15 March 1968
Government / Labour Party Government

British Foreign Secretary George Brown resigns

1971

Publicayion1971
Politics / Labour Party

Publishes his memoirs, entitled In My Way

1981

Social Democratic AllianceJanuary 1981
Politics / Social Democratic Alliance

Appointed President of the Social Democratic Alliance

1997

Bank of England1997
Government / Labour Party Government ยท Chancellor of the Exchequer

The Bank of England is granted its independence in the conduct of monetary policy & responsibility for setting interest rates, a policy devised by Ed Balls

Chancellor of the Exchequer1997
Government / Labour Party Government ยท Chancellor of the Exchequer

Appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer, 1st term

Economy of Great Britain1997
Government / Labour Party Government ยท Chancellor of the Exchequer

The Bank of England is granted its independence in the conduct of monetary policy & responsibility for setting interest rates, a policy devised by Ed Balls

2001

Chancellor of the Exchequer2001
Government / Labour Party Government ยท Chancellor of the Exchequer

Appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer, 2nd term

Titles and roles

Chancellor of the Exchequer ยท Deputy Leader ยท Deputy Leader of Labour Party ยท Foreign Secretary of Great Britain ยท Foreign Secretary ยท Foreign Secretary of United Kingdom ยท General ยท JPS ยท Minister of DEA ยท Minister of Works ยท Parliamentary Private Secretary

Record provenance

This biography is assembled from World History Database records filtered by country and personal-name fields. Exact duplicate display records are removed. The database is an index rather than a complete narrative biography; formal research should verify entries against relevant primary or specialist sources.