Gordon Brown Offers to Step Down—Eventually

Gordon Brown has announced that he's stepping down as the head of the Labour party—some time before the party's next conference this fall—but that he'd like to remain prime minister until then if possible, the Guardian reports. Brown also announced that the Liberal Democrats would begin formal talks with Labour to form a progressive government, and that he'll “facilitate” those talks.

Brown said he'd play no part in the party's new leadership election. The move was almost certainly a prerequisite for formal talks, though Brown has already had informal talks with Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg. According to one rumor, reported by the Telegraph, Brown told Clegg he'd like to stay on as PM for a year, and Clegg burst out laughing. (More Gordon Brown stories.)