Seven Ways to Change the World ... offers a mixture of moral arguments and policy solutions that carefully avoids political controversy. The research is undeniably impressive in its scope and detail. He clearly holds deep-seated moral views regarding the responsibilities of wealthy countries to less wealthy ones, combined with a sense that true justice is never adequately achieved, but needs constantly pushing for. Brown’s ability to move between economic and moral reasoning is a potent one.'

A sensible plan for reform that can help us create a fairer and more equitable world’ - Sheryl Sandberg Rawnsley, Andrew (12 November 2017). "My Life, Our Times by Gordon Brown review – formidable but destructively flawed". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077 . Retrieved 2 April 2019. All 40 of Brown’s recommendations will now be subject to consultation, with the conclusions of that further process ending up in Labour’s manifesto. His report also recommends that the civil service and agencies should be dispersed from London to Scotland, and an enhanced role for Scotland internationally, with new powers for Scottish government to enter into international agreements and bodies such as Erasmus, Unesco and the Nordic Council. I cannot recommend it enough. Despite its hefty subject matter, Brown’s book zips along... The book is peppered with quotations and statistics, but never struggles under their weight... As a call for global cooperation and a clear explanation of many of the planet’s greatest challenges, Seven Ways to Change the World is certainly more convincing than the partial and inadequate moves made at the recent G7 meeting, and a more clear-sighted vision of the threats we face than anything yet managed by Keir Starmer.'Labour said one of Brown’s recommendations would be the abolition of the Lords, as well as new rules to “end the undue influence of wealth and foreign money, and prevent MPs part-timing the job”. Writing in The Guardian, political journalist and specialist on New Labour, Andrew Rawnsley, noted the memoir's most riveting moments concerned the financial crash; "the most valuable chapters here are those that describe how they averted a total implosion of the banking system". [4] The paper praised Brown, saying he was "Miles ahead of anyone you can name currently in office at Westminster. Brown thinks, and thinks profoundly. And by and large, over the last 30 years, what he has thought has turned out to be correct." He went on to say the memoir was "thrilling" and "unexpectedly moving". [5]

In fact, the primary enemy in Permacrisis is something they call “the degrowth movement”. Their dismissal of degrowth doesn’t seem to be grounded in any real engagement with that position. One recent book, The Future Is Degrowth , by Matthias Schmelzer, Andrea Vetter and Aaron Vansintjan, sets out in fairly detailed terms a way to achieve what Brown et al claim to want: the reduction of inequality and a decarbonised economy. On the evidence of this book, these figures are fighting the last war instead of this one I’ve seen the great work Gordon Brown has done on financing education in the world’s poorest countries. Now that he turns his mind to other pressing global issues to find solutions that could bring genuine change to the world, I’m going to pay attention. I’m going to read. And hope.’ In comments released ahead of the Brown report, Starmer made no mention of the House of Lords, instead concentrating on how Labour would bring about “real economic empowerment for our devolved government, the mayors, and local authorities”. When the Covid-19 pandemic swept across the globe in 2020, it created an unprecedented impact, greater than the aftermath of 9/11 or the global financial crisis. But out of such disruption can come a new way of thinking, and in this superb new book former UK prime minister Gordon Brown offers his solutions to the challenges we face in 2021 and beyond. Three of the world’s greatest economic leaders have put their brilliant minds together to produce this insightful playbook for getting out of the permacrisis we seem mired in. It’s a timely guide to the type of co-operation, both at home and internationally, that is now vitally necessary’

He is a shy man who was brought up “to contain, even suppress, my inner feelings in public”. That, he thinks, explains why “I failed to persuade the British people” not to throw him out in 2010. “No matter what I did to get my message across I often fell short.” He believes himself to be a politician “out of season” who did not master the revolution in communications and public expectations of leadership. Three of the most internationally respected and experienced thinkers of our time, these friends found their pandemic Zooms increasingly focused on a cascade of crises: sputtering growth, surging inflation, poor policy responses, an escalating climate emergency, worsening inequality, increasing nationalism and a decline in global co-operation. Do you feel like we’re in a permacrisis? Chances are you feel some anxiety about the state of the world. Gordon Brown, Mohamed A. El-Erian and Michael Spence certainly did. My Life, Our Time was reprinted by Vintage Books on 24 May 2018. [2] On 3 June, Brown attended an event at Cardiff City Stadium to discuss the book, with Labour MP Kevin Brennan. [3] Reception [ edit ]

He will introduce his new book, Permacrisis: A Plan To Fix A Fractured World. From the escalating climate crisis to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, increasing nationalism, surging inflation and worsening inequality, Brown and his co-authors, the economists Mohamed El-Erian and Michael Spence, found their recent conversations focussed on the rapidly increasing chaos in the world. Labour will consult on replacing what the party calls the “indefensible” House of Lords with an elected chamber as part of a 40-point plan written by Gordon Brown to overhaul the constitution, but stopped short of committing to its abolition in the manifesto.Brown, El-Erian and Spence show us in vivid detail what needs fixing in a world of perpetual economic crisis. More importantly, they provide solutions that even today’s chronically dysfunctional governments can credibly reach. Permacrisis offers hope and good sense in equal measure’ Gordon Brown is a person of action. He has a comprehensive view of the world that goes from a fair version of an open globalisation and drops down to what’s needed to support individuals.’ Gordon Brown draws on his unparalleled experience to show us how international cooperation is the only way to solve the challenges of our societies, economies and environment. Every chapter is brimming with ideas and insight – and will leave you feeling inspired to change the world.'