British PM Brown says fallout over expense scandal has been worst time in his political life

October 12th, 2009 Britain's Brown to repay $19,000 expense claimsLONDON — In the latest blow to Gordon Brown's beleaguered leadership, the British prime minister is being forced to repay over 12,000 pounds ($19,000) in disputed claims following an audit into how British lawmakers spent public money. Dozens of lawmakers received letters Monday from Thomas Legg — who Brown appointed to audit expense claims — asking them to repay the money or offer further explanations for why they claimed it.

October 3rd, 2009 Brown agrees to televised British election debateLONDON — Prime Minister Gordon Brown has agreed to take part in Britain's first televised election debate among party leaders. Brown, who has been accused of dithering on a host of issues, had been reluctant to participate in U.S.-style election debates even though his two main rivals had agreed.

September 21st, 2009 LONDON - Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair thinks his successor Gordon Brown is a political "quitter" who could stand down before the next election. According to a new book, Blair has told his inner circle that Brown does not have enough political courage.

August 25th, 2009 LONDON - British Prime Minister Gordon Brown was branded as the "invisible man of British politics" after he refused to break his silence on the release of the Lockerbie bomber, resulting in a bitter diplomatic row with the United States. The Tories accused Brown of cowardice for failing to comment on the decision.

July 8th, 2009 British Foreign Office minister resignsLONDON — Britain's Foreign Office minister Mark Malloch Brown says he will resign at the end of the month for family and personal reasons. Several ministers resigned from British Prime Minister's cabinet last month in protest over his leadership, but Malloch Brown insists he still greatly admires Gordon Brown.

June 21st, 2009 LONDON - Dashing hopes of Labour Party rebels, British Prime Minister has declared that he will be leading the party at the next election, and has no intention on quitting the leadership. "I'm just getting on with the job.

June 20th, 2009 British PM vows to stay despite expense falloutLONDON — British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said fallout over the recent lawmaker expense scandal has marked the worst time in his political life, but he has no immediate plans to step aside. Brown's popularity has sunk to record lows since details of lawmaker expense claims were leaked to a newspaper last month.

June 8th, 2009 British prime minister vows to improve leadershipLONDON — British Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Monday survived the most serious test of his leadership, offering his critics a humbling promise to improve after his governing Labour Party suffered its worst electoral results in a century. Brown made a rare admission of his failings in a speech to a private meeting of hundreds of Labour lawmakers from both houses of Parliament — a move which appeared to have halted a rebellion which had threatened his ouster.

June 5th, 2009 LONDON - A fourth British minister resigned in four days Friday, spurring Prime Minister Gordon Brown to begin reshuffling his cabinet in the middle of a deepening political crisis. Pressure mounted on Brown to quit after John Hutton resigned as defence secretary, following the shock resignation of James Purnell as work and pension secretary late Thursday night.

June 5th, 2009 Changes to British Cabinet after reshuffleBritish Prime Minister Gordon Brown is finalizing changes to his Cabinet to recover from the scandal over lawmakers' excessive expense claims. These are the key lawmakers likely to be involved: —ALAN JOHNSON, 59, is a favorite to replace Brown, but will be rewarded for instead pledging loyalty to the leader.

June 5th, 2009 Brown: No plans of stepping down as British PMLONDON — British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is defying calls from some in his own party to resign, saying he will not walk away from his responsibilities. Brown reshuffled his Cabinet Friday in hopes of hanging on to his job in the midst of a scandal over lawmakers' expenses, a string of top-level resignations and catastrophic results expected in local elections.

June 3rd, 2009 Fourth UK minister quits, dealing blow to PMLONDON — A fourth member of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's government quit Wednesday in a new blow to his political authority amid widespread outrage over the country's lawmakers' expense scandal. Communities Secretary Hazel Blears said she told Brown in a meeting that she would step down from her job before an expected reshuffle of Brown's Cabinet in the coming days.

June 1st, 2009 UK Chancellor caught up in expense disputeLONDON — British Treasury chief Alastair Darling is the latest lawmaker to be accused of misusing public expenses. The Daily Telegraph reports that Darling filed claims for costs on an apartment he rented out while also claiming expenses for another home.

May 10th, 2009 UK politicians face curb on expenses after scandalLONDON — A senior British lawmaker says Parliament will set up an independent body to oversee legislators' expenses following a series of damaging revelations. The Telegraph newspaper has been publishing leaked details of expense claims by Prime Minister Gordon Brown and other politicians.

March 12th, 2009 LONDON - British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is the most boring public speaker in the UK, says a survey of 1,000 adults. The Brit leader has pipped footballer David Beckham into second place to land the first spot, reports The Scotsman.