Brown Hangs Tough to Win Terrorism Vote

And I hated Gordon Brown

(NEWSER) - Tony Blair’s memoir, A Journey, has just hit stores, and it’s loaded with juicy revelations that have Britain talking. Among them:

• Blair says he used alcohol as “a prop,” with his daily intake “definitely at the outer limit” of what was acceptable. “By the standards of days gone by I was not even remotely a topper,” he protests, adding that his intake was “not excessively excessive. I had a limit.”
• Much of the headlines have been dominated by his always-rumored but until now denied feud with Gordon Brown . Blair says he knew Brown would be a “disastrous” prime minister, and blames him for the party’s recent losses

Priest had role in 1972 bombing, says report

(NEWSER) - The UK government conspired with the Catholic Church to cover up a priest’s role in a 1972 bombing that left 9 people dead, according to a new report from Northern Ireland’s police ombudsman. Royal Constables suspected Father James Chesney was behind the triple car bombing, and involved in other IRA operations in the area. But before arresting him, they approached then secretary of state William Whitelaw and the head of the Catholic Church in Ireland, Cardinal William Conway. More»

Conservative becomes youngest PM in 200 years

(AP) - Britain woke up to a new political era today with the first coalition government since World War II—an unlikely marriage between the Conservative Party and the left-leaning Liberal Democrats. With a handshake, smiles and waves, the Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron welcomed his new coalition partner, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, outside the shiny black door at 10 Downing Street and set off on the business of running the country. More»

Tory-Liberal Dem coalition talks continue

(NEWSER) - Gordon Brown stepped down as prime minister and resigned as head of the Labour Party today, as it became clear that the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats are on the verge of forming a coalition government. David Cameron, the head of the Tories, is expected to visit Buckingham Palace today to accept the queen's formal invitation to form a government, the BBC reports . More»

Election leaves Liberal Dems in driver's seat

(NEWSER) - Britain's winner-less election has left both the Conservatives and the Labour Party furiously negotiating with and sucking up to Nick Clegg's Liberal Democrat party, with papers just as furiously live-blogging the comings and goings. Though they actually lost seats, the Liberal Dems have the power to determine who becomes prime minister. Clegg has given himself until the end of the day to strike a deal, the Guardian reports, because he's afraid the public will rebel if he waits longer. But other Liberal Democrat sources tell the Times that it might not come until Thursday. More»