Blair hands power to Brown

Tony Blair has resigned as prime minister, handing power to Gordon Brown.

Blair left Buckingham Palace at 1.41pm on Wednesday having tendered his resignation to the Queen.

Then, having been applauded out of the Treasury as chancellor, Brown arrived at the Palace to be appointed the head of a new government.

After leaving the Commons following his final appearance at the despatch box for prime minister's question time, Blair returned to Downing Street to thank Number 10 staff.

Shortly after 1.00pm, Blair left Number 10 accompanied by his wife Cherie and four children before getting into the official limousine to take him to Buckingham Palace.

He did not make a statement to the waiting press, meaning the Commons exchanges were his final public comments as leader of the government.

At Buckingham Palace, Cherie Blair waited in an ante-room while her husband has a brief conversation with the Queen.

No longer prime minister, Blair and his family were then heading to his Sedgefield constituency by train. He is expected to announce there that he is stepping down as an MP.

Minutes later Brown, accompanied by his wife Sarah, emerged from the Treasury for the short drive to the Palace.

There, the Queen invited him to form a government.

Then Brown, now prime minister, was driven back to Downing Street to pose for pictures outside the famous front door he has waited 13 years to walk through and make a short speech.

Once inside, he began forming his cabinet and the rest of his government, a process that may not be fully complete until Thursday or Friday.