9 2 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁Parliament ary ▁Private ▁Secretary ▁to ▁Patrick ▁May hew , ▁Secretary ▁of ▁State ▁for ▁Northern ▁Ireland . ▁He ▁was ▁appointed ▁as ▁an ▁Ass istant ▁Government ▁Wh ip ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 3 . ▁ ▁Right - wing ▁activity ▁Brown ▁was ▁involved ▁in ▁the ▁right - wing ▁Conserv ative ▁circles ▁including ▁the ▁Monday ▁Club ▁and ▁the ▁E ld on ▁League . ▁Brown ▁was ▁a ▁found ing ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁No ▁Turn ing ▁Back ▁group ▁which ▁included ▁Michael ▁Port illo , ▁Peter ▁L ille y ▁and ▁Neil ▁Hamilton . ▁Brown ▁regarded ▁Port illo ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁his ▁closest ▁friends ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁years ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁claim ing , ▁" we ▁hit ▁it ▁off ▁right ▁away ." ▁He ▁accompanied ▁Port illo ▁on ▁hol id ays ▁with ▁other ▁friends ▁including ▁La ud . ▁ ▁Southern ▁Africa ▁Brown ▁was ▁a ▁supp orter ▁of ▁South ▁Africa ' s ▁r uling ▁National ▁Party ▁during ▁apart heid ▁and ▁visited ▁that ▁country ▁with ▁Neil ▁Hamilton ▁on ▁a ▁trip ▁fin anced ▁by ▁the ▁South ▁African ▁authorities ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 8 8 . ▁Hamilton ▁went ▁on ▁more ▁than ▁one ▁tour ▁of ▁South ▁Africa . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁Brown ' s ▁prote ge ▁D erek ▁La ud ▁became ▁active ▁in ▁support ▁of ▁the ▁Democratic ▁Turn h alle ▁Alliance ▁( D TA ), ▁a ▁political ▁party ▁in ▁Nam ib ia ▁back ed ▁by ▁the ▁South ▁African ▁government . ▁La ud ▁formed ▁a