Brown has two minor retinal tears

That Downing Street felt obliged to disclose that Gordon Brown has visited Moorfields eye hospital and has two minor tears in his right retina is revealing of the current demands for transparency from politicians. I suspect we are moving towards a situation in which British Prime Ministers, like US Presidents, will open up their medical records to inspection and make public the details of their medicals while on the job.

But my first reaction on hearing the news about Brown was to be reminded of how impressive it is that he has reached the very top of politics despite such problems with his eyes. Whatever one thinks of Brown’s performance as Chancellor and Prime Minister, his political morality and his judgement it is hard not to be impressed at how Brown has never let his eyesight hold him back.