Gordon Brown will resign if pact with Liberals is made

LONDON - British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Monday he would step down later this year if efforts to form a government with the Liberal Democrats succeed.

Brown, 59, also confirmed that Liberal leader Nick Clegg had offered to enter into formal coalition talks with Labour, while continuing their negotiations with the Conservatives.

Brown said he would ask the Labour Party to set in train the processes for a leadership election and he would not be standing. He gave the Labour Party conference in September as a time frame.