For Mr Dear Gordon Brown and Family, because I know Sarah Brown may lurk, a support thread

Mr Brown - thanks for trying to save us all and make life a bit fairer for everyone. Genuinely sorry that you're going - please enjoy your time with your family..you've earned it.

Gordon,

My husband knew you back in his days as an economics journalist and was on one of tv target teams back in 1997. He spoke then, as he always has, of your friendliness, humility and decency.

The chalice you were handed was truly poisoned and I'm sure the decision to not call a snap election is one you may dwell on for decades to come.

I wish you and your family some peace now, away from the madness of Downing Street.

Thank you. Thank you for putting public service before personal profit. Thank you for being real.

I'm devastated that you're going.

Dignity, integrity, passion and conviction - what more could we want from our Prime Minister?

I echo what everyone else has said - you are, and always have been, an outstanding public servant.

Thank you

Yes - she was a bigot - and I vote Tory !

If Sarah does read this......please say thank you to Gordon from me. A genuine, from the heart thank you.

Hell, I'm about to blubb again!

PS - totally agree - she was a bigot.

Mr Brown - apart from anything else - aren't your children BEAUTIFUL?

And thanks for answering my question on MN - made me appreciate how much easier a bit of typing is than chaining myself to railings...

A devastating loss for our country. The most genuine and caring prime minister we've had in my lifetime. And I have never voted labour, until last week. Best of luck Mr Brown. I hope you manage to get to a few more Raith Rovers games from now on.

Gordon - you were great, and not given the chance to be greater. You will be sadly missed in our house for your straightfoward and un PR-ish approach. Thanks to your child trust funds, tax credits and Sure Start centres I have felt totally supported and able to be a full-time mum. Also I liked the fact that you once said you were unairbrushable. I think I'm in that club, for sure... Good luck for whatever you do next.

I agree with the sentiments of this thread. With GB heading Labour and the country I felt secure as I knew my family were being looked after, I'm a public sector worker, DH is in construction and we have benefitted from Tax credits and CTF.

Good Luck to the Browns

I am not a labour fan or voter so not going to make any comment on how GB was as PM.

However I would like to say that that was the first timeI had seen his two little boys who were gorgeous . Sarah ahs been a proper PM wife , in the background , supportive and no agenda for herself ,unlike 'First Lady Blair' .

So good luck and now have that family time .

Dear Mr. Brown,
Thank you for so many things. For the minimum wage. For doubling the NHS budget. For cancelling third world debt. For the year I will be able to spend caring for my child when he/she is born in November.

You have achieved a million times more in 13 years than those miserable, sniping bastards in the media will achieve in their lives.

Yours gratefully,
AE

Ps. And yes, she was a bigot. Good call.

What a great thread! I just wanted to echo the nice things everyone else has said. I was in tears watching the TV coverage tonight - I think GB and the Labour party have done so much good for the country in the last 13 years and its a shame the media seem to forget that. I think you seem like a genunie, good person and that can't be said for lots of others in politics! I hope the Browns get the read this and know how much support there is out there for them.

hostile obv.

Can I just add...Be heartened by the fact that despite the War, the expenses scandal, a hosile right-wing press and a worldwide recession, the Tories still couldn't convince the country that they should be handed power. You almost did it, Gordon, despite everything. You should be proud.

I am an expat and couldn't vote. I don't even know who I would have voted for if I had been there.

But I am as sad as all these other folk to see you go, Mr B. You struck me as a decent and honest man with great integrity. A rare thing these days.

Dear Mr Brown

I have long admired your integrity, loyalty, courage and determination. You were one of the few politicians left in this country who had principles and lived by them.

I wish you the very best of lives with your family, and whatever you choose to do next.

Thank you.

Yes, Ninah, I agree!
Mr Brown we do know you're not dead...just our hopes and dreams.

Dear Mr Brown, I am a staunch Labour supporter from Wales and my heart is breaking as we see a Tory in No 10. I don't think you should shoulder all the blame for not keeping the Tories at bay, though I respect the fact that you are prepared to do so.

I have watched you over the last few days with admiration and with sadness. You have been so dignified and so statesmanlike, I'm sure that is your true nature.

I wish that during the hard times you had stepped forward and addressed the nation as the President in the US does, you would have been able to show your true self and your integrity and reassured the people that we were in safe hands. However, as you have always had to fight the right-wing press, they would probably have twisted all you said.

I wish you and your family many blessings and I hope you carve out a niche where your many skills and attributes are appreciated.
Can I recommend gardening and making compost as soul nuturing activities, which small boys thoroughly enjoy,
with many thanks and Bright Blessings to you and Sarah,
EM

although this is starting to read a bit like an obituary ...

thank you so much

Dear Mr Brown - thank you for everything you've done for the country and for our family. You had a tough row to hoe, I think, but so much to be proud of.

I think he has carried himself brilliantly well in the past few days and personally think that he dealt with the economic crisis in a statesmanlike way.

I love Sarah Brown.

I wish them both good luck for the future in whatever they choose to do (and love the fact that he's already said will be charity related rather than the business route - that in itself is demonstrative of the type of man and politician he is).