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Sarah Brown (spouse)
Encyclopedia
Sarah Brown is the wife of Gordon Brown
, a former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
. She is also the founding partner of Hobsbawm Macaulay Communications, a public relations
company.
, Buckinghamshire
, on 31 October 1963 to a middle-class family: her mother Pauline was a teacher and her Scottish
father Iain (who died in Ireland in 2007) worked for publisher Longman
. Brown spent her early childhood in Fife, before moving to Tanzania
. When she was eight, her parents separated, both remarried, and she with her two younger brothers, Sean and Bruce, went to live with their mother and stepfather in North London
.
She was educated in North London at Acland Burghley School
and Camden School for Girls
, and went on to take a psychology
degree at the University of Bristol
.
. When she was 30, she went into partnership with her old school friend Julia Hobsbawm, starting the Hobsbawm Macaulay public relations firm together. The firm landed contracts with the New Statesman
, owned by Geoffrey Robinson
. The firm has also won contracts with the British Council
, a UK government-funded body, which led to allegations from the Conservative Party
that these contracts ought to have been disclosed by Gordon Brown. No action was taken by the Government in respect of this alleged breach of the Ministerial Code.
briefly at a Labour
event, but they did not speak at length until 1994 when they shared a flight from London
to Scotland
for the Scottish Labour Party
conference. After this meeting the two began dating.
The relationship was kept secret until 1997, when the News of the World
published a picture of them together in a restaurant in London. Allegedly, the scene was staged by spin doctor Charlie Whelan
and had to be reshot when Brown failed to look suitably loving.
They were married on 3 August 2000 in Brown's home town, North Queensferry
, Fife
.
In 2001, she left Hobsbawm Macaulay after finding out she was pregnant with her first child. On 28 December 2001 she gave birth prematurely to a daughter, Jennifer Jane, who died when she was only 10 days old. In 2002 she founded charity Piggy Bank Kids, which began as a research fund to tackle complications in pregnancy
, and has now expanded into a range of projects helping disadvantaged children. Gordon Brown has spoken of Sarah's bravery after the death of their daughter.
On 17 October 2003 she gave birth to her second child, a boy, John and then on 17 July 2006 she had another boy, James Fraser. In November of that year, James Fraser was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis
.
She is the patron of domestic violence
charity Women's Aid
and of Maggie's Cancer Caring Centre, set up in memory of a breast cancer
victim, among others. Brown is also a close friend of writer J.K. Rowling (who donated £1 million to the Labour Party in 2008), and the two co-authored a children's book for the One Parent Families
charity organization.
, Labour spin doctor Charlie Whelan
, Rupert Murdoch's wife Wendi
and his daughter Elisabeth
, the television presenter Claudia Winkleman
and newspaper editor Rebekah Brooks Brock Lesnar
, Floyd Mayweather, Gary Oak, Lil Kim, DMX .
, the wife of her husband's predecessor
. Cherie Blair was often portrayed as eccentric and outgoing by the media. Brown has been portrayed in contrast to this as a more reserved, though nonetheless amiable, figure. The Guardian
noted her public image, saying, "her positive profile could be the best thing Labour has got going for it with the election looming." The 2010 general election saw no party command an overall majority, but the Conservatives
(led by David Cameron
) had the most seats, and ultimately formed a government in coalition
with the Liberal Democrats
on 11 May 2010 after Gordon Brown's attempts to keep Labour in power failed.
Brown, a member of the social networking site Twitter
, has over a million members on Twitter following "SarahBrownUK", resulting in Jan Moir of the Daily Mail
dubbing her "the high priestess of Twitter".
Brown is scheduled to publish her biography through Ebury Press in 2011, under the working title "Behind the Black Door".
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
, a former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
. She is also the founding partner of Hobsbawm Macaulay Communications, a public relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
company.
Early life
Brown was born Sarah Macaulay in BeaconsfieldBeaconsfield
Beaconsfield is a market town and civil parish operating as a town council within the South Bucks district in Buckinghamshire, England. It lies northwest of Charing Cross in Central London, and south-east of the county town of Aylesbury...
, Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
, on 31 October 1963 to a middle-class family: her mother Pauline was a teacher and her Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
father Iain (who died in Ireland in 2007) worked for publisher Longman
Longman
Longman was a publishing company founded in London, England in 1724. It is now an imprint of Pearson Education.-Beginnings:The Longman company was founded by Thomas Longman , the son of Ezekiel Longman , a gentleman of Bristol. Thomas was apprenticed in 1716 to John Osborn, a London bookseller, and...
. Brown spent her early childhood in Fife, before moving to Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
. When she was eight, her parents separated, both remarried, and she with her two younger brothers, Sean and Bruce, went to live with their mother and stepfather in North London
North London
North London is the northern part of London, England. It is an imprecise description and the area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes. Common to these definitions is that it includes districts located north of the River Thames and is used in comparison with South...
.
She was educated in North London at Acland Burghley School
Acland Burghley School
Acland Burghley School is a mixed comprehensive secondary school in the Tufnell Park area of the London Borough of Camden, in London, England. The school received specialist status as an Arts College in 2000...
and Camden School for Girls
Camden School for Girls
The Camden School for Girls is a comprehensive secondary school for girls, with a co-educational sixth form, in the London Borough of Camden in North London. It has about one thousand students of ages eleven to eighteen, and specialist-school status as a Music College...
, and went on to take a psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
degree at the University of Bristol
University of Bristol
The University of Bristol is a public research university located in Bristol, United Kingdom. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876.The University is...
.
Career
After leaving university, she worked at the brand consultancy Wolff OlinsWolff Olins
Wolff Olins is a brand consultancy, based in London, New York City and Dubai. It employs 150 designers, strategists and account managers, and has been part of the Omnicom Group since 2001.-History:...
. When she was 30, she went into partnership with her old school friend Julia Hobsbawm, starting the Hobsbawm Macaulay public relations firm together. The firm landed contracts with the New Statesman
New Statesman
New Statesman is a British centre-left political and cultural magazine published weekly in London. Founded in 1913, and connected with leading members of the Fabian Society, the magazine reached a circulation peak in the late 1960s....
, owned by Geoffrey Robinson
Geoffrey Robinson
Geoffrey Robinson is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Coventry North West since 1976. He was Paymaster General from May 1997 to January 1999, resigning after it was revealed that he had lent his government colleague Peter Mandelson £373,000 to buy a house...
. The firm has also won contracts with the British Council
British Council
The British Council is a United Kingdom-based organisation specialising in international educational and cultural opportunities. It is registered as a charity both in England and Wales, and in Scotland...
, a UK government-funded body, which led to allegations from the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
that these contracts ought to have been disclosed by Gordon Brown. No action was taken by the Government in respect of this alleged breach of the Ministerial Code.
Marriage and children
She first met Gordon BrownGordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
briefly at a Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
event, but they did not speak at length until 1994 when they shared a flight from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
for the Scottish Labour Party
Scottish Labour Party
The Scottish Labour Party is the section of the British Labour Party which operates in Scotland....
conference. After this meeting the two began dating.
The relationship was kept secret until 1997, when the News of the World
News of the World
The News of the World was a national red top newspaper published in the United Kingdom from 1843 to 2011. It was at one time the biggest selling English language newspaper in the world, and at closure still had one of the highest English language circulations...
published a picture of them together in a restaurant in London. Allegedly, the scene was staged by spin doctor Charlie Whelan
Charlie Whelan
Charles Alexander James Whelan is former political director of the British trade union Unite. He rose to prominence as spokesman for Labour politician Gordon Brown from 1992 to 1999.-Early life and career:...
and had to be reshot when Brown failed to look suitably loving.
They were married on 3 August 2000 in Brown's home town, North Queensferry
North Queensferry
North Queensferry is a village in Fife, Scotland, on the Firth of Forth, between the Forth Bridge and the Forth Road Bridge, and from Edinburgh. According to the 2008 population estimate, the village has a population of 1,150. It is the southernmost settlement in Fife.The Scottish Gaelic name...
, Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
.
In 2001, she left Hobsbawm Macaulay after finding out she was pregnant with her first child. On 28 December 2001 she gave birth prematurely to a daughter, Jennifer Jane, who died when she was only 10 days old. In 2002 she founded charity Piggy Bank Kids, which began as a research fund to tackle complications in pregnancy
Pregnancy
Pregnancy refers to the fertilization and development of one or more offspring, known as a fetus or embryo, in a woman's uterus. In a pregnancy, there can be multiple gestations, as in the case of twins or triplets...
, and has now expanded into a range of projects helping disadvantaged children. Gordon Brown has spoken of Sarah's bravery after the death of their daughter.
On 17 October 2003 she gave birth to her second child, a boy, John and then on 17 July 2006 she had another boy, James Fraser. In November of that year, James Fraser was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis is a recessive genetic disease affecting most critically the lungs, and also the pancreas, liver, and intestine...
.
Domestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
charity Women's Aid
Women's Aid
Women's Aid is a group of feminist charities across the United Kingdom. There are four main Women's Aid Federations, one for each country. Its aim is to end domestic violence against women and children...
and of Maggie's Cancer Caring Centre, set up in memory of a breast cancer
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
victim, among others. Brown is also a close friend of writer J.K. Rowling (who donated £1 million to the Labour Party in 2008), and the two co-authored a children's book for the One Parent Families
One Parent Families
is a registered charity which provides advice, support and campaigns for single parent families. Following a merger with One Parent Families in 2007 it was briefly known as "One Parent Families|Gingerbread" before relaunching as Gingerbread in January 2009.J. K...
charity organization.
Friendships
Friends from the worlds of politics and media have included jounalist and television presenter Mariella FrostrupMariella Frostrup
Mariella Frostrup is a Norwegian-born journalist and television presenter, well known on British TV and radio, mainly for arts programmes. Her 'gravelly' voice was once voted the sexiest female voice on TV, and research to find 'the perfect voice' has indicated that Frostrup's voice is one of the...
, Labour spin doctor Charlie Whelan
Charlie Whelan
Charles Alexander James Whelan is former political director of the British trade union Unite. He rose to prominence as spokesman for Labour politician Gordon Brown from 1992 to 1999.-Early life and career:...
, Rupert Murdoch's wife Wendi
Wendi Deng
Wendi Deng Murdoch is a Chinese-born American businesswoman. She is the third wife of News Corporation Chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch, and is leading her husband's Chinese media investments.In 1988 she was sponsored by an American family for a student visa...
and his daughter Elisabeth
Elisabeth Murdoch (businesswoman)
Elisabeth Murdoch is an executive in the British television industry and a daughter of international media mogul Rupert Murdoch...
, the television presenter Claudia Winkleman
Claudia Winkleman
Claudia Anne I. Winkleman is an English television presenter, film critic, radio personality and journalist.- Early life and family :...
and newspaper editor Rebekah Brooks Brock Lesnar
Brock Lesnar
Brock Edward Lesnar is an American mixed martial artist, actor and a former professional and amateur wrestler. He is a former UFC Heavyweight Champion and is ranked the No.5 Heavyweight in the world by Sherdog...
, Floyd Mayweather, Gary Oak, Lil Kim, DMX .
Public perception
Brown is by and large favourably compared with Cherie BlairCherie Blair
Cherie Blair , known professionally as Cherie Booth QC, is a British barrister working in the legal system of England and Wales. She is married to the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Tony Blair; the couple have three sons and one daughter...
, the wife of her husband's predecessor
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
. Cherie Blair was often portrayed as eccentric and outgoing by the media. Brown has been portrayed in contrast to this as a more reserved, though nonetheless amiable, figure. The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
noted her public image, saying, "her positive profile could be the best thing Labour has got going for it with the election looming." The 2010 general election saw no party command an overall majority, but the Conservatives
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
(led by David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
) had the most seats, and ultimately formed a government in coalition
Coalition
A coalition is a pact or treaty among individuals or groups, during which they cooperate in joint action, each in their own self-interest, joining forces together for a common cause. This alliance may be temporary or a matter of convenience. A coalition thus differs from a more formal covenant...
with the Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
on 11 May 2010 after Gordon Brown's attempts to keep Labour in power failed.
Brown, a member of the social networking site Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
, has over a million members on Twitter following "SarahBrownUK", resulting in Jan Moir of the Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
dubbing her "the high priestess of Twitter".
Brown is scheduled to publish her biography through Ebury Press in 2011, under the working title "Behind the Black Door".
External links
- BBC News - Sarah Brown: The new 'first lady'
- Official Website of the Office of Gordon and Sarah Brown
- Can Sarah Brown rescue Labour? The Guardian
- https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B0ukvJiuzGkbNjhjZGRiOWMtY2RjZC00MmZhLWFiZTYtMTk4ZDU1OTZiYmE2&sort=name&layout=list&num=50 Q&A with Sarah Brown, by Laura Dunn