Thirteen years of waiting ends for Brown

Gordon Brown left the Treasury today for the short journey to Buckingham Palace to become Briatin's Prime Minister.

A Government limousine took him the few hundred yards from his office of ten years as Chancellor, down The Mall, after Tony Blair tendered his resignation to the Queen.

Mr Blair and his wife Cherie left after 23 minutes at the palace, clearing the way for Mr Brown to fulfil his ambition of 13 years to step through the famous front door of No 10.

Mr Blair had earlier flourished his P45 to MPs at the Commons during Prime Minister’s Question Time and bowed out of British politics with the words:

“That is that. The end.”

He is expected to take up a post as international envoy to the Quartet group seeking to broker peace in the Middle East and resign his Sedgefield seat.

Mr Brown and his wife Sarah were cheered out of the Treasury by staff before making the short journey to see Her Majesty.

Mr Brown shook hands with dozens of staff lined up to wave him goodbye – among them was Ed Balls, one of his closest advisors who he had appointed Economic Secretary to the Treasury.

Once Mr Brown leaves the palace by Prime Ministerial car and is installed in No 10 he will put the finishing touches to his Cabinet and Government.