Gordon Brown resigns as Labour leader

by Jamie Jubon

Gordon Brown has announced he is to resign as leader of the Labour party, in a huge twist to the on-going struggle for power.

In a statement made at Downing Street late on Monday afternoon, he said he wanted a replacement to be appointed by the time of the party’s conference in September.

As no party had won an overall majority, he made it clear that he accepted responsibility for that, and added he hoped his resignation would help bring about the formation of a “progressive coalition government.”

Brown, who has been prime minister since 2007, also revealed he will first oversee formal talks with the Liberal Democrats.

The Lib Dems had previously held discussions with the Conservatives with a view to reaching some sort of agreement, after last Thursday’s general election resulted in a hung parliament.

Still seeking clarification

Nick Clegg held a two-hour meeting with Lib Dem MP’s, after which it emerged that they were still seeking clarification from the Tories over their key priorities, such as voting reform.

In the statement, the prime minister said he had no desire to stay long enough to form a stable government and that a leadership contest will be set up by his party to determine his successor.

Brown said Britain had a “parliamentary and not presidential system” and that there was a “progressive majority of voters.”

He then added that if the country could be best served by a coalition between Labour and the Lib Dems, he would “discharge that duty to form that government.”

According to the BBC, Brown had been opposed to a possible Labour-Lib Dem coalition and his departure will increase the likelihood of such a deal.

On the subject of his successor, bookmakers have been quick to install David Miliband as odds-on favourite to replace Brown, with Alan Johnson second favourite, and Ed Miliband and Harriet Harman outsiders.