AFP, London :
Former prime minister Gordon Brown is to announce he is standing down as an MP at the May general election, reports said Sunday.
The former Labour leader, 63, returned to the limelight to make an impassioned case for his native Scotland to remain in the United Kingdom.
An ally told the Sunday Mirror newspaper: “Gordon has confirmed to friends that he will stand down at the election in May.
“He wants to go out on a high after effectively salvaging the campaign to keep the UK together in September. He will focus on his charity work.”
Brown still represents his home town of Kirkcaldy in the House of Commons, but is largely focused on his role as United Nations special envoy for global education.
Brown entered parliament in 1983. He was the chancellor of the exchequer from 1997 until 2007, when he took over from Tony Blair as prime minister. He resigned after the May 2010 general election.
He is credited with playing a key role in securing a “No” vote in the Scottish independence referendum in September with a passionate last-minute intervention.
He had been tipped to stand for the Scottish Labour leadership following the result, but declined to stand, saying he had no intention of returning to front-line politics.
Former prime minister Gordon Brown is to announce he is standing down as an MP at the May general election, reports said Sunday.
The former Labour leader, 63, returned to the limelight to make an impassioned case for his native Scotland to remain in the United Kingdom.
An ally told the Sunday Mirror newspaper: “Gordon has confirmed to friends that he will stand down at the election in May.
“He wants to go out on a high after effectively salvaging the campaign to keep the UK together in September. He will focus on his charity work.”
Brown still represents his home town of Kirkcaldy in the House of Commons, but is largely focused on his role as United Nations special envoy for global education.
Brown entered parliament in 1983. He was the chancellor of the exchequer from 1997 until 2007, when he took over from Tony Blair as prime minister. He resigned after the May 2010 general election.
He is credited with playing a key role in securing a “No” vote in the Scottish independence referendum in September with a passionate last-minute intervention.
He had been tipped to stand for the Scottish Labour leadership following the result, but declined to stand, saying he had no intention of returning to front-line politics.
