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Conservative leader David Cameron became Britain's
youngest prime minister in almost 200 years Tuesday after Gordon
Brown stepped down and ended 13 years of Labour government.


      Cameron said he aims to form a full coalition government with
the third-place Liberal Democrats after his Conservative Party won
the most seats but did not get a majority in Britain national
election last week.


      The 43-year-old leader said it would be "hard and difficult
work" to govern as a coalition but added that Britain had serious
economic issues to tackle. Cameron visited Buckingham Palace and
was asked to form a government by Queen Elizabeth II less than an
hour after Brown tendered his resignation to the monarch.


      Cameron and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg's pact would be
the first coalition government since World War II.
 

     Arriving at London's Downing Street hand in hand with his wife
Samantha, Cameron said he believed that Britain's "best days lie
ahead."


      Hundreds of onlookers, many of them booing, crowded the gates of
Downing Street to watch on, as Cameron swept into his new home less
than 90 minutes after an emotional Brown had made a farewell
address.


      "We have some deep and pressing problems - a huge deficit, deep
social problems, a political system in need of reform," Cameron
said. "For those reasons, I aim to form a proper and full
coalition between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats."


      Negotiators from both parties were finalizing the agreement as
Brown and Cameron met with the queen, and holding meetings with
their lawmakers to ratify the highly unusual deal. Neither side was
expected to thwart the plan to govern in a coalition deal.


      "Nick Clegg and I are both political leaders who want to put
aside party differences and work hard for the common good and for
the national interest," Cameron said.


      In Washington, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said that
President Barack Obama has not spoken to Brown since he announced
his resignation. Gibbs said that Obama would speak to Cameron soon.


      "I'm sure the president will have an opportunity to speak with
him soon," Gibbs said.


      The high political drama came as the Conservative and Liberal
Democrat parties hammered out details of a coalition deal after the
country's inconclusive election.


      Standing outside 10 Downing St. alongside his wife Sarah, Brown
spoke in strained tones as he wished Cameron well.


      "Only those who have held the office of prime minister can
understand the full weight of its responsibilities and its great
capacity for good."


      Brown said he had "loved the job, not for its prestige, its
titles and its ceremony, which I do not love at all."


      "No, I loved the job for its potential to make this country I
love fairer, more tolerant, more green, more democratic, more
prosperous, more just - truly a greater Britain."


      After his brief statement, the 59-year-old Brown walked
hand-in-hand with his wife and young sons John and Fraser down
Downing Street, where a car waited to take him to the palace.


      Brown spent about 15 minutes inside the palace and was then
driven away - no longer Britain's leader. Minutes later he arrived
at Labour Party headquarters, where he was greeted warmly by
cheering staffers.


      Brown told party staff that his deputy Harriet Harman would
become interim Labour leader until a formal leadership takes place
to select his permanent successor.


      Brown's resignation ends five days of uncertainty after last
week's general election left the country with no clear winner. It
left Britain with its first so-called hung Parliament since 1974.
Britain's Conservatives won the most seats but fell short of a
majority, forcing them to bid against the Labour Party for the
loyalty of the Lib Dems.


      Brown's departure leaves the path clear for a Conservative-Lib
Dem coalition.


      Teams from the two parties met for several hours Tuesday, but
emerged without confirming whether a deal had been struck.
Conservative deputy chief William Hague said only that the
atmosphere had been "positive."


      Rank-and-file members of the two parties were meeting to discuss
the coalition deal later Tuesday and, though there are likely to be
some objections, it is regarded as improbable that either side
would thwart the pact.


      Some British media speculated that Clegg would be appointed
deputy prime minister, but officials with the two parties declined
to confirm the reports.


      Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesman Vince Cable said the details
of a deal were being worked on, but he would be "very surprised"
if an agreement was announced before Wednesday.


      "Nothing has been formally agreed," he said. "There has been
a lot of progress.


      "The details are currently in the process of being sorted."


      Clegg's Liberal Democrats have a more complex process, and may
need to hold a meeting of around 200-300 grass roots members to
formally ratify the coalition. Their joint government needs to be
in place in time to draft a legislative program that will be
announced in Parliament on May 25.


      Brown's departure follows three successive election victories
for his center-left Labour Party, all of which were won by his
predecessor Tony Blair, who ousted the Conservatives in 1997.
      

Gallery

Politics and Government News

Conservative leader David Cameron became Britain's
youngest prime minister in almost 200 years Tuesday after Gordon
Brown stepped down and ended 13 years of Labour government.


Britain's David Cameron becomes PM; Brown out

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