The Times has published a PCC-brokered clarification after reporting in August that former prime minister Gordon Brown earned more than £900,000 last year.
At the request of Brown, the paper has pointed out that “not a penny” of that money goes to him – but instead it goes towards funding his charitable and public service work.
Here is the clarification in full:
This article reports that, according to the register of members’ interests, Gordon Brown had an “annual income” in the year to July 2012 of more than £900,000 from work as an academic, author and speechmaker. The accompanying graphic (see tab) states that more than £33,000 of this money was paid to charity and that the rest was not for personal gain but “goes towards the running costs of his office and staff”.
We are happy to make it clear that Mr Brown’s only personal income is his salary as an MP; he has declined the pension that he is entitled to as a former Prime Minister. All money from his speeches and writings goes to the Office of Gordon and Sarah Brown to fund his and his wife’s charitable and public service work, including, as its website states, £508,729 in charitable donations in a "continuing programme of disbursements. Mr Brown has asked us to make clear that not one penny goes to him. We are happy to do so."
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