Gordon Brown urged nations on Wednesday to build a temporary "global government" to tackle the coronavirus pandemic ahead of an emergency G20 video conference hosted by Saudi Arabia.
Speaking on the crisis to Financial Times, Mr Brown said that efforts should include the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), adding that it was "not something can be dealt with in one country".
— Gordon & Sarah Brown (@OfficeGSBrown) March 25, 2020
Prior issues such as the 2008 financial crisis were "economic problem that had economic causes and had an economic solution", but the coronavirus was "first and foremost a medical emergency" requiring "joint action".
He added: "But the more you intervene to deal with the medical emergency, the more you put economies at risk."
Mr Brown also urged an international body to produce a vaccine and later, manufacture and distribute the cure with medical supplies while avoiding a "dog eat dog" bidding war among G20 nations.
“With the healthcare crisis, the idea of individual self-isolation is now commonplace, but on the international stage, national self-isolation has taken off,” he said.
But Twitter community was triggered by the words "global government", with former UKIP leader George Batten calling the announcement an "ill wind that blows no one any good".
"I'd rather take my chances with the virus," he said.
— Gerard Batten (@GerardBattenUK) March 26, 2020
One user, Patriot Lion, tweeted that US president Donald Trump would "lead the world out of this mess" in the same spirit as former US general Douglas MacArthur, who led Allied forces against the Japanese in the Pacific theatre during World War II.
— Patriot Lion (@JAB069) March 27, 2020
Mowbray Jackson told Gordon Brown to "sod off", adding that the only thing the former PM excelled at was "being the country's worst PM" after Theresa May.
— Mowbray Jackson (@mowbrayjackson) March 27, 2020
One Twitter user scoffed the idea of a global government, stating that the UK "literally" voted to "leave the EU to escape big government authoritarianism".
— Absquatulate (@airstripone84) March 27, 2020
Others assumed that Mr Brown would choose former UK prime minister Tony Blair to be his "Right Hand Man" for the global government.
— John McLaughlin (@CollJohn) March 27, 2020
The comments come before several British officials, including Prince Charles and even UK prime minister Boris Johnson, were infected by the disease. As of Friday, over 542,000 cases have been reported, resulting in over 24,300 deaths, figures revealed, with the United States surpassing China in total reported cases by a margin of 4,000. Over 170 countries have been affected by the pandemic, with many governments locking down municipalities and urging people to stay at or work from home.
