To officially become British chief, the queen must invite the leader of the largest party in the House of Commons to form her government. He was to be the 11th politician - Winston Churchill was the first - she has invited to lead her government.

Blair was heading to northern England - where he is expected to tell local officials he plans to quit entirely as a lawmaker to take a potential new role in the Middle East.

Brown enters office a day after claiming one more vote in the House of Commons.

Quentin Davies, a Conservative lawmaker for 20 years, resigned from the party Tuesday to join Labour.

Davies accused Conservative leader David Cameron of have no clear policies or principles, and praised Brown as "a leader I have always greatly admired, who I believe is entirely straightforward, and who has a towering record, and a clear vision for the future of our country which I fully share."

Blair called a meeting of local party officials in Sedgefield, northern England, for late Wednesday planning to tell them he will quit as their representative in the Commons if offered a role as envoy to the Quartet on Mideast peace - sparking a special election for his seat.

"If he gets the Middle East job, he will resign," said John Burton, Blair's political representative in the town.

While Brown in moving up the ladder, he won't be moving house. He, his wife Sarah and two young sons have been living in the private quarters at No. 10, the prime minister's official residence, while Blair's larger family has been living next door in No. 11, Brown's official residence.

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