Once the wrangling stops, how Britain’s handover of power will unfold

How Britain’s handover of power will unfold

LONDON — If Britain’s Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties make an agreement to govern, the pageantry of a British government handover begins:

—Within hours: Prime Minister Gordon Brown travels to Buckingham Palace to ask Queen Elizabeth II to accept his resignation and invite David Cameron to form a new government.

—Brown leaves 10 Downing St.

—Queen invites Cameron to the palace.

—Cameron returns to Downing Street begins to meet with lawmakers who will join his Cabinet.

—May 18: New session of Parliament begins.

—May 25: New government’s legislative agenda is announced in a speech read by the queen at the State Opening of Parliament. Followed by a vote, which must be backed by a majority of legislators.