Tony Blair officially stepped down as British prime minister on Wednesday after a decade in office, giving up also his MP powers.

Blair's decision to withdraw from the Parliament calls for choosing a representative of Sedgefield district in the House of Commons.

Much of the country's attention, however, is focused on speculations that the so-called Quartet - the United States, United Nations, European Union and Russia - will make Blair their envoy to the Middle East to push for peace there.

Blair officially handed his resignation to Queen Elizabeth II, making way for Britain's new leader Gordon Brown.

Just before that Tony Blair answered MPs' questions in parliament for the last time and then returned to his Downing Street residence and office to say his final farewells.

Brown, who became prime minister by virtue of leading the majority party in parliament, received political and financial boosts with news of an opposition lawmaker defecting to the Labour Party, and reports that Labour has received a rush of large financial donations.

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