ninme

Upon reflection, rather than be nettled about the rather extra-constitutionality of this, I’ve decided to congratulate those of you in Britain for pulling it off without having to have an election. I’m rather jealous.

Times Online - Gordon Brown, Prime Minister, promises change

The focus of national attention finally fell squarely on Mr Brown, who, at 56, is two years older than Mr Blair, when he emerged from Buckingham Palace just before three o’clock this afternoon as Britain’s 52nd Prime Minister.

Staff at the Treasury lined the corridors to wish Gordon Brown well, before he left for Buckingham Palace with his wife Sarah (Anthony Harvey/AP)

Five minutes later, he climbed out of the Prime Minister’s armour-plated car with his wife, Sarah, and spoke his first words to the British public as their leader.

“I have just accepted the invitation of Her Majesty the Queen to form a Government,” he said. “This will be a new Government with new priorities and I have been privileged to have been granted the great opportunity to serve my country.”

But earlier today:

Times Online - News Blog - The end

What was missing in the first half of PMQs today was more than made up in the second half. It had theatre, tears and wit, and ended with a standing ovation for Mr Blair, including the opposition.

Aww.

Mr Blair’s put down of the Liberal Democrat’s Richard Younger-Ross showed his mastery of the occasion. Asked about the future of the church in politics, he simply replied “I think I’m really not bothered about that one”, and sat down, to cheers.

Asked to promise a referendum on the new EU treaty by a Eurosceptic Tory MP, refused and added to laughter: “Au revoir, auf wiedersehen and arrivederci”.

Mr Blair also told MPs of an urgent letter which arrived by post yesterday at No 10. “Details of employee leaving work. Surname: Blair; first name: T. It said actually: Mr, Mrs, Miss or other. This form is important to you, take good care of it, P45,” he read to laughter.

At the end came the standing ovation. The Conservatives briefly prevaricated over whether they should take part, with Julie Kirkbridge leading the applause before Mr Cameron waved to his party to stand and cheer.

And then it was over. Gordon Brown’s era begins in the next hour.

In the interim, apparently somebody called Sir Gus O’Donnell, head of the civil service, was in charge. For about thirty minutes.