Search: PM Brown wife
Gordon Brown has dismissed criticism that he was "trivialising" politics by using his family to garner votes.
As David Cameron's wife Samantha became the latest political spouse to join the election battle, the Prime Minister insisted the public should know about their leaders' lives.
But Mr Brown stressed he would never involve his two young sons in campaigning, and said he had no interest in being a "celebrity".
The comments came during a grilling by voters on BBC1's Politics Show. Asked about the decision for his wife Sarah to introduce him at the last two Labour Party conferences, the premier replied: "Well first of all, I decided we would not bring our children into politics.
"Look, I've decided to be a politician and that's for people to judge whether they still want me to be that politician.
"My wife is supporting me and we work together on this, and she's made that decision. But my children haven't made that decision so they should be kept ... I've got to protect their childhood and I think everybody would respect that."
