Brown Takes Office

In a brief statement to reporters just before moving into his new home, Brown said he taken note of the British people's desire for change, promising "a new government with new priorities." He also said he wanted to create better opportunities for all Britons.

Brown's remarks came after Queen Elizabeth II, in accordance with British custom, invited him to form a government.

Earlier in the day, Tony Blair fielded one last session of questions in Parliament and said farewell to the staff at 10 Downing Street before heading to Buckingham Palace to tender his resignation.

The 56-year-old Brown is expected to announce his cabinet and the rest of his government on Thursday.

Taking center stage

Despite serving as Chancellor of the Exchequer for more than ten years under Blair, Brown remains a somewhat enigmatic figure for many Britons. And some question whether the Scotsman will ever completely emerge from his telegenic predecessor's shadow.

Brown may have promised change, but few people expect him, in the short term, to make any major domestic-policy reversals -- especially as Britain enjoyed an extended period of economic growth under the Blair government. But there has been some speculation that Brown may be somewhat more liberal on spending as prime minister than he was as chancellor.

More interesting, perhaps, is the course Brown will take regarding foreign policy and, in particular, the Iraq War. Although Brown has said he still supports the US-led campaign in Iraq, some observers expect him to take a somewhat more skeptical approach toward Washington than Blair.

Brown's appointment ends one's Britain's most uneasy, if longest-lasting marriages of political convenience. Once rivals for the leadership of the Labour Party, Brown reportedly agreed in the mid-nineties to put his own ambitions to become Prime Minister on hold and support Blair, who was elected in 1997.

In return, Blair purportedly agreed to step down at some point while still in office and clear the way for Brown.

New partner for Britain's allies

European and other world leaders were expected to begin congratulating Brown personally and in public statements.

In a tribute to Blair published in a British newspaper on Wednesday, US President George Bush praised Brown, writing that the then Prime Minister designate "wasn't the image of the dour Scotsman at all."

But Bush was more effusive in lauding Blair.

"I've heard he's been called 'Bush's poodle,'" Bush wrote. "He's bigger than that. We're working together to achieve global peace in the face of enormous danger. This kind of thing is just silly ridicule."

Blair becomes envoy

Former Prime Minister Blair was Wednesday named special envoy of the diplomatic quartet pushing for Middle East peace and tasked with spearheading efforts to create a Palestinian state.

"Following discussions among the principals, today the quartet dealing with the Middle East is announcing the appointment of Tony Blair as the quartet representative," UN spokeswoman Michele Montas announced.

Blair's new role on the world stage was announced shortly after he stepped down after a decade in power.

The post of quartet representative had been vacant since former World Bank chairman John Wolfensohn left in frustration in May 2006.