国际英语新闻：British parliament reconvenes after general election

LONDON, May 18 (Xinhua) -- The British parliament reconvened on Tuesday for the first time after general election and John Bercow was re-elected as speaker of the House of Commons.

Bercow said it would be an "honor" to serve again and pledged to "defend the rights of backbenchers."

New Prime Minister David Cameron sat next to Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, also deputy prime minister on one side while Labour as opposition party sat on the other side.

Acting Labour Party leader Harriet Harman offered her congratulations to Cameron, saying Labour hold this government to account.

Some 227 new parliamentary members were elected on May 6 and will begin being sworn in on Wednesday.

The British general election has produced a "hung parliament". Among the 649 seats, Conservatives garnered 306 seats, the Labor Party won 258 seats, the Liberal Democratic Party occupied 57 seats and other smaller parties share 28 seats.

Voting in the general election took place in 649 constituencies on May 6 as polling in Thirsk and Malton has been postponed to May 27 following the death of UK Independence Party candidate.

The new coalition government, formed by the Conservative party and Liberal Democrat party, faces the immediate and awesome task of cutting the public debt.