Tony Blair has today brought an end to a momentous and turbulent era of British politics after resigning as prime minister.

Mr Blair, who is being replaced by Gordon Brown as Labour leader and prime minister, announced his decision to leave No 10 Downing Street in a much-publicised speech to party activists on May 10th.

Despite increasingly-vocal criticism during the latter years of his premiership Mr Blair leaves office as the only Labour prime minister to have won three consecutive general elections and the party's sole prime minister to have served more than one full term.

But his detractors say the failure to provide security in post-Saddam Hussein Iraq and his questioning by police as part of the cash-for-honours inquiry will form the abiding part of his legacy.

In 1997 he presided over the Conservative party's biggest election defeat for more than 150 years as New Labour scored a political landslide with a Commons majority of 179 – Labour's largest to date.

At 12:00 BST today Mr Blair stood up in the Commons to take part in his last-ever prime minister's questions before he returned to Downing Street to say goodbye to staff.

He then travelled to Buckingham Palace to tender his resignation to the Queen ahead of Mr Brown being asked by the monarch to form a new government.

Mr Blair is also later expected to announce his resignation as an MP to party activists in his Sedgefield constituency.

Speaking at arguably the most non-confrontational PMQs of his career, Mr Blair was handed fond tributes from all sides of the House and given a standing ovation as he left, telling MPs: "That is it, the end."

Many observers will suggest Mr Blair's lasting legacy will be the decision to commit British troops to a war in Iraq and the prime minister made reference to this today.

"I am truly sorry about the dangers [the British armed forces] face today," he said.

But he again defended his choice over the 2003 invasion, adding: "I believe they are fighting for the security of this country and the wider world against people who would destroy our way of life."

In his first speech as Labour leader on Sunday Mr Brown thanked Mr Blair, with whom he has endured a sometimes fractious relationship, for the ten years in which he "has borne the burden of leadership of our country".

"All of us will remember his leadership – his leadership has made Britain stronger, more tolerant, more prosperous and fairer.

"And let us never forget his towering presence in the international community, his work on Africa, climate change, his work to win the Olympics for Britain, and the skills and determination he brought to securing peace in Northern Ireland," the Labour leader added.

"Tony Blair's achievements are unprecedented, historic and enduring. Tony – on behalf of the Labour party, thank you."

Mr Blair meanwhile, whose future role has been subject to much speculation, praised his chancellor of ten years – describing him as a man with "every quality to mark him out as a great prime minister for this country".

"He will give of his best in the service of our country, and I know that his best is as good as it gets," Mr Blair said.

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