VOA标准英语2010年-Britain has New Prime Minister

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II greets David Cameron, the leader of the Conservative Party, at Buckingham Palace, 11 May 2010

Britain has a new Prime Minister and a new government as five days of political deadlock¹ has come to an end. Prime Minister Gordon Brown resigned as Britain's top politician on Tuesday evening, making way for Conservative leader David Cameron.

Queen Elizabeth appointed Conservative leader David Cameron as the Prime Minister Tuesday evening.

He is to form a coalition² government with Britain's third largest party the Liberal Democrats³, ending 13 years of Labor⁴ leadership. 

Speaking outside his new residence - number 10 Downing Street - Mr. Cameron said the road ahead won't be easy.

"This is going to be hard and difficult work," said David Cameron. "A coalition will throw up all sorts of challenges but I believe together we can provide that strong and stable government that our country needs."

He said he wanted a proper and full coalition to sort out Britain's financial deficit⁵, its social problems, and problems in the political system.

Outgoing Prime Minister Gordon Brown handed his own resignation to the queen earlier in the evening.

Before leaving Downing Street with his wife and two children, Mr. Brown said he had loved his job.

"In the face of many challenges in a very few short years - challenges up to and including the global financial meltdown - I have always shrived to serve, to do my best in the interest in Britain, its values and its people," said Gordon Brown.

Mr. Brown's unexpected resignation brings to an end five days of political upheaval⁶ in Britain. A general election last week saw the Conservative party win the most votes but turned out no clear majority winner. Since then the Conservatives and Labor have jockeyed for the support of the third largest party in order to form a coalition strong enough to take power.

The party in the middle, the Liberal Democrats, sided with the Conservatives - ending any hope Labor might have had that it could hold on to power.

The exact details of the new government were not immediately clear.

Tony Travers from the London School of Economics says the events of the past week are very rare in Britain.

"Well this is a new departure," said Tony Travers. "We don't have coalition governments or anything like this normally. And this will require a great deal of work. But now they're in power they're going to be forced to make it work, at least for a while."

The Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats are at odds⁷ on a number of major policies including on immigration, the European Union, and the economy.

43-year-old David Cameron will be Britain's youngest Prime Minister in 200 years.
 

1 deadlock   

n.僵局，僵持

参考例句：

• The negotiations reached a deadlock after two hours.两小时后，谈判陷入了僵局。
• The employers and strikers are at a deadlock over the wage.雇主和罢工者在工资问题上相持不下。

2 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

3 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

5 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

6 upheaval   

n.胀起，(地壳)的隆起；剧变，动乱

参考例句：

• It was faced with the greatest social upheaval since World War Ⅱ.它面临第二次世界大战以来最大的社会动乱。
• The country has been thrown into an upheaval.这个国家已经陷入动乱之中。

7 odds   

n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别

参考例句：

• The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。
• Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？