Brown was born in Wood Green in north London, although his family was from Bedford and moved back there quickly.
He served in the 4th Battalion of his old regiment for four years, and this time was commissioned as an officer, reaching the rank of Lieutenant.
Sir Fred Messer, the Labour Member of Parliament for Tottenham, announced in October 1958 that he would not seek re-election.
Brown launched a high-profile campaign very soon after his election, when he discovered that a 14-year-old girl who had truanted from school was being held on remand in HM Prison Holloway together with murderers.
In March 1961, Brown wrote to Hugh Gaitskell declaring that he would not "retreat one inch from what I believe is the correct and honourable position", and announcing his resignation from the Labour Party to sit as an Independent.
The Tottenham Constituency Labour Party proceeded to select a new candidate early in 1962, indicating that they did not expect Brown to rejoin.