The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, London

Britain led international cries of alarm over Zimbabwe's violent electoral crisis after the main opposition leader all but handed victory to President Robert Mugabe by quitting the run-off race.

Both London and Washington said they were prepared to raise their concerns in the United Nations Security Council on Monday. Foreign Secretary David Miliband said Zimbabwe would lack "legitimate" leadership if Mugabe stayed in charge, and accused him of using violence to cling to power.

"A government which violates the constitution in Zimbabwet cannot be held as the legitimate representative of the Zimbabwean people," Miliband said, referring to Mugabe's slowness to hold a run-off after the March 29 election. Miliband described the violence as "state-sponsored on a very large scale with one very clear motivation"-to keep Mugabe in power.