The British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has announced that he intends to stand down as leader of the Labour Party within months. Mr Brown said he had no desire to stay in his post longer than was needed to form a stable government following last week's inconclusive general election.

"I therefore intend to ask the Labour Party to set in train the processes needed for its own leadership election. I would hope that it would be completed in time for the new leader to be in post by the time of the Labour Party conference. I will play no part in that contest, I will back no individual candidate."