"Gordon Brown's alive!" was one response to the former prime minister's first venture on to Twitter today. He has kept a low profile since Labour's defeat in May, but has now emerged from the shadows to guest edit his wife Sarah's Twitter account to campaign for democracy in Burma.
Listed as "MP, activist, Dad, Raith Rovers fan Mr @SarahBrownUK", he tweeted for the charity Burma campaign UK, as Burmese voters went to the polls for the first time in 20 years. The election, which has two military-backed parties running virtually unopposed, has been criticised.
His first tweet read: "[Burmese opposition leader] Aung San Suu Kyi has been denied her voice too long – until she is free to lead her people, we must all lend our voices to the struggle for democracy in Burma. That is why I am guest editing Sarah's Twitter, to support the Burma Campaign's efforts to push for real reform for a people too long denied their freedom."
In his tweets, Brown reminded followers that one of the last two letters he sent as prime minister had been to Aung San Suu Kyi, encouraging her to champion her case for democracy. He had been inspired by her and by Nelson Mandela as prisoners of conscience, he said. He also included a link to a campaign letter he wanted followers to send to the UN secretary, general Ban Ki-moon, urging him to take action and take a lead on Burma.
The former Labour leader was a tentative tweeter, apologising for forgetting to put GB at the start of his tweets. "Just guesting here," he said. He also took a break saying: "Family lunch – good to eat and talk together – now some Sunday afternoon fresh air."
However prosaic his tweets, Burma Campaign UK was delighted with the novice microblogger. The charity praised Brown for pushing for stronger diplomatic and economic pressure on Burma while prime minister and for his continued support. "Through these tweets and retweets we can get the message to millions of people that these elections are a sham and international support must continue," said Anna Roberts, executive director of Burma Campaign UK.
