June 25, 2007	Monday	Jamadi-us-Sani 09, 1428

MANCHESTER, June 24: Gordon Brown succeeded Tony Blair as leader of Britain's governing Labour Party on Sunday, the first step in the handover of power that will see him become prime minister in three days'time.

The 56-year-old was elected unopposed, as neither of the two prospective candidates who hoped to run against him could get enough support.

“Leadership is an awesome responsibility,” Brown told the Labour Party conference in Manchester, northwest England after accepting his new job with humility and pride.

“So let me begin by personally thanking Tony Blair, a man who for 10 years has borne the burden of leadership of our country.” He will formally become prime minister on Wednesday. In Britain, the head of the largest party in parliament becomes premier. Governing parties can change leader mid-term without a general election having to be called.

The announcement -- to cheering and loud applause -- was made to Labour lawmakers, grassroots members and affiliated trade unions by Blair, who joined parliament at the same time as Brown in 1983.

Brown, whose media image is of a serious-minded minister, allowed himself to smile when the result was announced, as his wife Sarah looked on.

Blair, just returned from a European Union leaders' meeting in Brussels on Saturday -- his last international engagement as prime minister -- and a meeting with Pope Benedict XVI in the Vatican, paid tribute in introducing him.

“He is a man who is strong and sound in his convictions, true to his principles, a man with every quality to mark him out as a great prime minister of our country,” he said.

“I know from his character that he will give of his best in the service of our country and I know from his record as chancellor that his best is as good as it gets.” Brown takes over from Blair, who has served as Labour leader since 1994.

The chancellor of the exchequer, a father-of-two from Scotland, served continuously in the post during Blair's 10 years in power, making him the longest serving British finance minister without interruption in history.

His “coronation” coincided with a “bounce” in the opinion polls for Labour at the expense of the Conservative Party and its leader David Cameron, who is expected to be Brown's main opponent at the next general election.

The Observer Ipsos/Mori survey put Labour ahead of the Tories for the first time in eight months with a 39 per cent rating — up four on last month — while the Tories were down one to 36 per cent.

Forty percent thought Brown would be a more capable prime minister than the 40-year-old David Cameron, who polled 22 per cent.

Before the conference, Brown faced a legacy of Blair's premiership, as thousands of anti-war protesters demonstrated near the venue, demanding British troops be pulled out of Iraq within 100 days.

He has pledged to keep to Britain's plan of not withdrawing until conditions are right but protest organisers the left-wing Stop the War Coalition told newsmen that he would do well to learn from Blair's experience.

Brown's promotion comes 13 years after he agreed not to run against Blair for the Labour leadership, allegedly in exchange for unprecedented control over domestic policy and Blair handing over power after two terms as prime minister. The pair's relationship, particularly allegations that Brown accused Blair of repeatedly reneging on “the deal”, has dominated the British media ever since and split Labour along factional lines.

Last September, in a move allegedly sanctioned by Brown, his supporters in parliament forced Blair into saying he would leave office within 12 months.

According to leaked documents in the Independent on Sunday, Blair planned to sack Brown after the 2005 general election.

But Labour's “old guard” are likely to be disappointed if they expect a return to the past, as he has shown little sign of diverging from the substance of Blair's modernising, centre-left “New Labour” agenda.

Instead he has signalled a change in style rather than substance.—AFP