Blair Named Mideast Envoy, Brown Takes Over As Britain's PM (2/2)

Yet on this day, there were also tributes. And, in the end Mr. Blair also paid tribute to his colleagues in the House of Commons.

"I can pay the House the greatest compliment I can by saying that from the first to last I never stopped fearing it, and that tinglingapprehension" class="hjdict" word="apprehension" target=_blank>apprehension that I felt at three minutes to twelve today I felt as much 10 years ago and every bit as acute. And it is in that fear, the respect is contained."

Amid a standing ovation in the House of Commons, Tony Blair left the chamber. He returned to 10 Downing Street for final farewells to staff member before heading to Buckingham Palace to formally hand in his resignation to the Queen.

Shortly thereafter, Gordon Brown was summoned for a private audience with the Queen to be confirmed as Britain's new prime minister.

And, within hours the announcement from the United Nations that Tony Blair has been named as representative to the so-calledMiddle East Quartet - made up of the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations. The Quartet seeks to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.