Brown Out, Cameron In

Well, the idea of Gordon Brown remaining at 10 Downing Street until September didn't sit well with his fellow Labourites.

There was also little progress in talks between Labour and the Liberal Democrats on the possibility of forming a governing alliance.

So earlier today, Brown went to the Queen and formally resigned his office and recommended that Conservative Party leader David Cameron be given the opportunity to form a new government.

For the first time in 13 years Britain has a Tory government. Or should I say a Tory led government.

We know that David Cameron is Prime Minister. But what role will the Liberal Democrats play? Will Liberal Democrat MPs get ministerial portfolios? Will Vince Cable become Chancellor of the Exchequer? How will the Tories proceed with electoral reform? Will they establish a commission? Will they hold a referendum? Or will they throw out first past the post and put Nick Clegg in charge of coming up with a proportional representation form of government?

One must also wonder what it all means for the Anglo-American alliance? Things were remarkably frosty between Obama and Brown. What makes it remarkable is that both men are socialists. Is there any reason to believe Obama will be any more respectful towards Cameron than he was to Brown? Obama is said to have called Cameron "a lightweight" after his notorious European visit during the 2008 election campaign. Well, I suppose it takes one to know one.

President Obama has apparently called Cameron to presumably offer his congratulations although no details of their conversation have been released by the White House at this time. Their first opportunity to meet face to face would be during the G-20 Summit next month in Toronto. Cameron did have a chance to meet with Obama during last year's G-20 Summit in London. One can only hope that Cameron won't have to chase Obama through the mens' bathrooms of Metro Convention Centre in the same manner Brown had to chase Obama through the kitchens of UN Headquarters in New York last September.

Not that releasing the Lockerbie Bomber didn't warrant some displeasure on the part of Obama but it should have been directed towards Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond and Scottish Minister of Justice Kenny MacAskill who were actually responsible for releasing Abdel Baset al Megrahi. It should be noted that the supposedly terminally ill Megrahi is alive and well and living in a luxury villa. The waters of Tripoli must have remarkable healing properties.

While Brown might have lasted longer as Prime Minister than Manny Acta lasted as manager of the Washington Nationals it appears that Acta will have the last laugh. Brown not only is no longer Prime Minister he will apparently also resign as a Member of Parliament for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath (a constituency in Fife, Scotland). Acta is now managing the Cleveland Indians. O.K., so the Tribe is 8½ games behind the Minnesota Twins in the AL Central.
At least Acta has a job.