News 30 Oct 2008

Gordon Brown launches Taking Liberties

The Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, speaking at the launch of the Taking Liberties exhibition on Wednesday 29 October
Full text of speech

 

Photo: Gordon Kemp

 

Taking Liberties not just about past, also future, says PM

Gordon Brown dropped in to the press launch of Taking Liberties last night to open the exhibition.

He stressed that Taking Liberties is not just about the past, but also the future, and hoped that today's children and students would be inspired to shape the society of tomorrow.

Having spent the afternoon at Prime Minister's questions in the Houses of Parliament, Brown had the chance to relax here and even tell a few jokes.

"Politicians don't always have the best public reputation these days," he said at one point. "I'm reminded of the remark about Shelley's grandmother, that she had lost the power to communicate, but not, alas, the power of speech!"

The other key speaker was the exhibition's guest curator Prof Linda Colley, and guests included MPs David Davis, Jack Straw and Frank Dobson.

The exhibition opens to the public on Friday 31 October.