英新任领导首次新闻发布会一展风趣

Britain's new coalition¹ government is a source of some bewilderment in a country used to one-party governments -- but its two leaders seemed determined² to see the funny side on Wednesday.

英国新组建的联合政府让这个已经习惯了一党揽政的国家感到有些迷茫，但本周三两位新任领导人似乎决意要一展他们风趣的一面。

Democrat³ chief Nick Clegg(R) turned their first joint⁴ press conference into the " width="400" height="205" matey="" almost="" a="" with="" complete="" and="" dave="" src="http://www.enread.com/upimg/100515/4_071648_1.jpg" />
Sketchwriters said Prime Minister David Cameron(L) of the Conservatives and Liberal Democrat chief Nick Clegg(R) turned their first joint press conference into the 'Dave and Nick' show, complete with a jovial⁵, almost matey atmosphere.

Sketchwriters said Prime Minister David Cameron of the Conservatives and Liberal Democrat chief Nick Clegg turned their first joint press conference into the "Dave and Nick" show, complete with a jovial（天性快活的） , almost matey（友好的） atmosphere.

After serious pledges on tackling the economy and earnest（认真的，热心的） reassurances⁶ that their forced marriage could work, the two men seemed to let their hair down（不拘礼节） after the five days of tense negotiations⁷ since the indecisive（非决定性的） election.

One questioner referred to the occasion when Cameron was asked what his favourite political joke was and replied "Nick Clegg".

"I'm afraid I did once," Cameron laughed, his face visibly reddening（变红） , and mumbled⁸（含糊地说） something about people sometimes having to eat their words.

Clegg, the deputy prime minister, affected⁹ to walk away from the lectern（诵经台，讲台） , while Cameron jokingly cried out: "Come back!"

Cameron was also asked how the new arrangement would work in practice in the normally brutally¹⁰ adversarial（对手的，敌手的） weekly session of questions for the Prime Minister in the House of Commons.

Cameron said: "It'll be different because obviously I'm not going to be answering Nick's questions, but he's going to be answering some of mine."

Turning to a puzzled-looking Clegg, Cameron explained to laughs from the audience: "Well, if I'm not there you're going to be answering my questions... I'm looking forward to a lot of foreign travel."

Cameron reassured¹¹ journalists that for a by-election later this month sparked by the death of a candidate, both parties would still campaign separately, although he suggested the leaders could travel there together.