Gordon Brown Continues to Reach Out to New Labour Government Despite Claims of Non‑Interference

Former prime minister Gordon Brown has been sending emails in bold capitals to key members of Andy Burnham’s cabinet, according to several ministers interviewed at Labour’s conference in Liverpool. Brown, who was appointed by the previous administration as an unpaid adviser on global finance and cooperation, has been praised by Burnham as a model for leading Britain through crises. Despite Brown’s assertion that he does not want to be a “backseat driver,” ministers such as Ed Miliband, John Healey and Douglas Alexander confirmed receiving late‑night calls and messages from him. The emails, which sometimes appear in all caps, have prompted questions about the extent of Brown’s influence in the new government’s policy decisions.