Dave and Nick present a new style of politics (News Feature)

By Anna Tomforde May 12, 2010, 17:47 GMT

London - It was immediately dubbed the 'Dave and Nick love-in.'

In their new marriage-of-convenience, British Prime Minister David Cameron and his deputy, Nick Clegg, pledged to treat Britain to an unprecedented new style of consensus politics - marked by a joint endeavour that should conquer previous rivalries.

And sure enough, there were two lecterns - not one - put up in the rose garden of Downing Street, where Dave and Nick - both 43 - chose to hold their first joint news conference Wednesday.

From now on, Britons - and the world - will have to get used to the public face of coalition government in Britain - its first in 70 years.

Clegg, whose office of deputy prime minister is linked by a secret passage to Cameron's at Number 10, would be 'fully informed' of all government business in a new era of 'clean, open, plural politics.'

'This is not going to be a partnership where we have to book meetings,' promised Cameron.

The Punch & Judy politics of Prime Ministers Questions (PMQs) at the House of Commons, with its witty, but often aggressive exchanges, would be replaced by 'grown-up' politics.

'It (PMQs) is obviously going to be a different beast, because I won't be answering Nick's questions,' said Cameron.

The challenges would now come from the Labour party, which is back on the opposition benches after 13 years in power, and from, perhaps, Britain's first and only Green MP.

Despite the jokes and the backslapping of the prime minister and his deputy Wednesday, the new Con-Lib coalition is likely to have a short honeymoon.

In 50 days time, their coalition agreement dictates, an emergency budget will be presented, calling for the deepest cuts in public spending seen in modern history.

'Now it's time to roll up our sleeves and get Britain working,' the new Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, 38, said.

He will be in charge of 'accelerating the reduction' of Britain's record budget deficit of 163 billion pounds (242 billion dollars) - one if the biggest in Europe.

Initial cuts of 6 billion pounds are planned for this year.

The threat of contagion from the financial turmoil and social unrest in the eurozone has not escaped Britain.

The crunch was 'far from over,' the Bank of England warned Wednesday, as unemployment shot up to 2.5 million.

Markets had been waiting for the election to be over, said Bank of England governor Mervyn King.

'The most important thing now is for the government to deal with the challenges of the fiscal deficit - it is the single most pressing problem facing the UK and it will take a full parliament to deal with it,' King said.

Just as well, then, that Cameron and Clegg were sure their 5-year pact would survive the coming storms.

The government had been left with the 'most terrible economic inheritance,' said Cameron. But it would survive because its leaders were partners and 'not competing teams.'

'This will succeed through success,' as Cameron put it.