Compared to the recent elections in France, the transition of power from Tony Blair to the incoming Prime Minister seems relatively seamless.
Of course, it helps when it's the incoming PM is from the same party as the outgoing PM; however, what remains to be seen is how people will react to Gordon Brown and whether or not he has to pay for the sins of the father.
Several unions have threatened to rain on Brown's parade and stage strikes across the public sector once he takes office in June.
Whether or not any behind-the-scene maneuvering can avert the strikes is anyone's guess. While it's important for the people to have their opinions heard, it might also be helpful to give the new leadership a chance and let him earn his praise or criticism. Brown still has to expect that he'll be carrying the brunt of Britain's frustrations that built up over the past 10 years' of Blair's Labour party. Having worked as the Exchequer for the past 10 years, he may have equally dirty hands in many peoples' minds.
I expect that Brown will quickly try to distance himself from Blair's past policies, especially regarding foreign policy. That much is almost a given; but with social services threatening to pull the rug out from under him, he would also do well to focus on home a bit too.