Key facts
- Gordon Brown believes Ireland will eventually be united.
- He described the unification process as long and requiring mutual agreement.
- Brown opposed Scottish independence, advocating for cooperation within the UK.
- He supported continued North Sea oil and gas development to aid renewable energy transition.
- Brown proposed a European consortium for North Sea energy projects.
Former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown has stated that the unification of Ireland is inevitable at some point in the future. In an interview with The Guardian, Brown described the process as potentially lengthy and contingent on mutual agreement between the people involved. He drew a distinction between Northern Ireland's potential future and Scotland's ongoing calls for independence, for which he maintains opposition, emphasizing the interconnectedness of Scotland, England, and Wales within the United Kingdom.
Brown, who served as Chancellor under Tony Blair when the Good Friday peace agreement was signed and later as Prime Minister when policing powers were devolved to Northern Ireland, suggested that Northern Ireland's geographical proximity to the Republic of Ireland positions it differently than Scotland. He reiterated his belief that Scotland should not pursue independence, citing deep geographical, economic, social, and cultural ties to the rest of the UK.