Doubts over Brown's 'legacy' ahead of PM switch

Alliance Trust Research Centre head Shona Dobbie says although Brown’s economic record has been positive on balance, she queries whether his reforms transformed the UK’s long-term economic prospects. “Inflation has fallen back from the levels of the pre-Labour years, but Brown cannot claim all the credit because this was not unique to the UK, the effects of globalisation have driven prices lower in many western economies,’’ she says. “The Chancellor also claims to have achieved the ‘longest period of sustained low inflation since the 60s’, ‘low mortgage rates’ and ‘employment at its highe...