Brown: I don't want to be a celebrity
Wednesday, 1 August 2007 12:00 AM
Gordon Brown said he was not drawn to politics to be a celebrity but out of a desire to improve society.
In an interview at the close of his US visit, Mr Brown distanced himself from Tony Blair's era at Downing Street, which saw a wealth of celebrities pass through the famous Number 10 door.
Speaking to NBC's Nightly News Mr Brown said: "I didn't come into politics to be a personality in the sense of appearing on television.
"I came into politics because I felt there were certain things that needed to be done.
"It's not the public profile that interests me, it's getting on with the job of work."
Mr Brown's claim came a week after the full list of celebrity visitors to Chequers was made public.
Mr Blair entertained Charlotte Church, boyfriend Gavin Henson and England football manager Steve McClaren.
Vernon Kay and wife Tess Daly, June Sarpong, Chris Evans, Fiona Phillips and Richard Madeley were also official guests at Chequers, the Liberal Democrats discovered.
Speaking to NBC, Mr Brown said he still talks to Mr Blair "quite a lot", but said the former prime minister was a busy man.
"We still talk regularly but he has got a very, very important job to do," he said.
The prime minister paid tribute to his predecessor for his "huge contribution" to British public life, but did not sideline his own achievement.
"Tony and I worked together as a greater partnership which lasted from 1983 for 24 years," Mr Brown added.
Drawn on his personal life, Mr Brown said being a good father was the most important thing to him.
He said he and his wife Sarah do not talk about the death of the daughter Jennifer and try to concentrate on their two sons.
Mr Brown said: "We feel we have been fortunate, as well as things have been difficult on some occasions, but we are fortunate to have two lovely boys and that will continue to be my first priority."
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