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| 'Bear with us' urges Nick Clegg | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Nick Clegg has asked people to "bear with us" a bit longer as the Lib Dems and the Tories resume a third day of negotiations on forming a government. | |
| The Lib Dem leader said all political parties were "working flat out" to find a solution after the UK general election resulted in a hung parliament. | |
| It follows six hours of negotiations on Sunday and Mr Clegg's separate talks with David Cameron and Gordon Brown. | |
| Labour Chancellor Alistair Darling said he hoped a decision was reached today. | |
| He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I don't think it would do any good to let this process drag on. I understand that the Liberals and the Conservatives are engaged in talks today, I hope by the end of today they will decide whether they can do a deal or not." | He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I don't think it would do any good to let this process drag on. I understand that the Liberals and the Conservatives are engaged in talks today, I hope by the end of today they will decide whether they can do a deal or not." |
| EU talks | EU talks |
| He added: "I'm not saying that tomorrow's the end of the world but I just make the general observation that there does come a point in any negotiations - either you can do a deal or you can't." | He added: "I'm not saying that tomorrow's the end of the world but I just make the general observation that there does come a point in any negotiations - either you can do a deal or you can't." |
| There had been some fears that the pound and shares would suffer if a deal was not done by the time markets opened on Monday. | There had been some fears that the pound and shares would suffer if a deal was not done by the time markets opened on Monday. |
| TIMETABLE Sunday, 1100 BST: Lib Dem and Tory negotiating teams met for six hours. Meanwhile Nick Clegg met Gordon Brown at the Foreign Office. Later in the evening David Cameron and Mr Clegg met for 45 minutes in ParliamentMonday, 0800 BST: Markets openMonday morning: Conservative and Lib Dem negotiating teams to reconveneMonday, 1800 BST: Conservative MPs meet Strategists try to avoid leaks href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/haveyoursay/2010/05/whats_more_important_a_deal_no.html">Send us your comments | |
| But once trading began, the FTSE 100 index of London's leading shares leapt more than 4% - suggesting traders saw the EU deal over a fund to stop the Greek debt crisis spreading as much more significant. | But once trading began, the FTSE 100 index of London's leading shares leapt more than 4% - suggesting traders saw the EU deal over a fund to stop the Greek debt crisis spreading as much more significant. |
| The Tories won the most votes and MPs in Thursday's election, but are short of a majority and are seeking support from the Lib Dems to form a government. | The Tories won the most votes and MPs in Thursday's election, but are short of a majority and are seeking support from the Lib Dems to form a government. |
| While they see if they can reach an agreement which would see him losing his job as chancellor, Mr Darling has been representing Britain in the EU talks. | While they see if they can reach an agreement which would see him losing his job as chancellor, Mr Darling has been representing Britain in the EU talks. |
| He confirmed he had spoken to his Conservative and Lib Dem counterparts - George Osborne and Vince Cable about the deal but insisted: "I made the deal and I accept full responsibility for it." | He confirmed he had spoken to his Conservative and Lib Dem counterparts - George Osborne and Vince Cable about the deal but insisted: "I made the deal and I accept full responsibility for it." |
| Voting system | Voting system |
| Gordon Brown has offered the Lib Dems talks if no agreement is reached with the Conservatives - he has already offered a referendum on electoral reform - a key concern of the Lib Dems. He met Mr Clegg on Sunday at the Foreign Office - Mr Cameron was aware of the meeting. | Gordon Brown has offered the Lib Dems talks if no agreement is reached with the Conservatives - he has already offered a referendum on electoral reform - a key concern of the Lib Dems. He met Mr Clegg on Sunday at the Foreign Office - Mr Cameron was aware of the meeting. |
| Former Conservative prime minister Sir John Major warned both the Tories and Lib Dems against dissolving into "partisan self interest". | Former Conservative prime minister Sir John Major warned both the Tories and Lib Dems against dissolving into "partisan self interest". |
| The Labour Party, I gather, are offering all sorts of things - the earth as I understand it - in order to get a quick deal Sir John Major The options for a hung parliament Peston: Euro ministers and Osborne Hurdles facing Cameron and Clegg Robinson: Deal or no deal? | The Labour Party, I gather, are offering all sorts of things - the earth as I understand it - in order to get a quick deal Sir John Major The options for a hung parliament Peston: Euro ministers and Osborne Hurdles facing Cameron and Clegg Robinson: Deal or no deal? |
| He said everyone should realise "there is going to have to be some compromise on both sides - cherished ideas may not be possible" and warned against drawing up plans for electoral reform "on the back of an envelope". | He said everyone should realise "there is going to have to be some compromise on both sides - cherished ideas may not be possible" and warned against drawing up plans for electoral reform "on the back of an envelope". |
| Sir John added: "The Labour Party, I gather, are offering all sorts of things - the earth as I understand it - in order to get a quick deal." | Sir John added: "The Labour Party, I gather, are offering all sorts of things - the earth as I understand it - in order to get a quick deal." |
| But he said he did not believe Gordon Brown could deliver what the Lib Dems want - proportional representation - as many Labour MPs were "as deeply if not more deeply opposed to proportional representation than the most die-hard Conservative". | But he said he did not believe Gordon Brown could deliver what the Lib Dems want - proportional representation - as many Labour MPs were "as deeply if not more deeply opposed to proportional representation than the most die-hard Conservative". |
| Former leaders | Former leaders |
| "I don't see how he could possibly deliver it ... The Conservative Party will be able to deliver what they agree," he said. | "I don't see how he could possibly deliver it ... The Conservative Party will be able to deliver what they agree," he said. |
| BBC political editor Nick Robinson said there was a new role being played by former party leaders. | BBC political editor Nick Robinson said there was a new role being played by former party leaders. |
| While Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg were keeping the contents of their talks secret, Sir John and former Lib Dem leader Lord Ashdown were giving away negotiating positions on behalf of their successors. Sir John's words showed there was anxiety in Conservative ranks that Lib Dems might be putting pressure on Mr Clegg to do a deal with Labour. | While Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg were keeping the contents of their talks secret, Sir John and former Lib Dem leader Lord Ashdown were giving away negotiating positions on behalf of their successors. Sir John's words showed there was anxiety in Conservative ranks that Lib Dems might be putting pressure on Mr Clegg to do a deal with Labour. |
| Gordon Brown has now returned to London from his home in Fife | Gordon Brown has now returned to London from his home in Fife |
| The Conservative negotiating team consists of shadow foreign secretary William Hague, shadow chancellor George Osborne, policy chief Oliver Letwin and chief of staff Ed Llewellyn. | The Conservative negotiating team consists of shadow foreign secretary William Hague, shadow chancellor George Osborne, policy chief Oliver Letwin and chief of staff Ed Llewellyn. |
| Their Lib Dem counterparts are MPs Chris Huhne - Lib Dem home affairs spokesman - Andrew Stunell, David Laws and chief of staff Danny Alexander. | Their Lib Dem counterparts are MPs Chris Huhne - Lib Dem home affairs spokesman - Andrew Stunell, David Laws and chief of staff Danny Alexander. |
| Conservative MPs will also meet later - Mr Clegg met his MPs on Saturday. | Conservative MPs will also meet later - Mr Clegg met his MPs on Saturday. |
| On Sunday Mr Brown met Business Secretary Peter Mandelson, advisor Alastair Campbell, energy secretary Ed Miliband and deputy leader Harriet Harman in Downing Street. | On Sunday Mr Brown met Business Secretary Peter Mandelson, advisor Alastair Campbell, energy secretary Ed Miliband and deputy leader Harriet Harman in Downing Street. |
| PM's 'duty' | PM's 'duty' |
| And in an e-mail to Labour activists the prime minister thanked them for their work throughout the election."The past few days have seen us enter a political landscape not considered possible a few short weeks ago - with the outcome of the election leading to no single party able to form a majority government," he wrote. | And in an e-mail to Labour activists the prime minister thanked them for their work throughout the election."The past few days have seen us enter a political landscape not considered possible a few short weeks ago - with the outcome of the election leading to no single party able to form a majority government," he wrote. |
| "My duty as prime minister has been to seek to resolve this situation." | "My duty as prime minister has been to seek to resolve this situation." |
| Several Labour backbenchers have called for Mr Brown to step down. | Several Labour backbenchers have called for Mr Brown to step down. |
| The Tories secured 306 of the 649 constituencies contested on 6 May. It leaves the party short of the 326 MPs needed for an outright majority. | The Tories secured 306 of the 649 constituencies contested on 6 May. It leaves the party short of the 326 MPs needed for an outright majority. |
| The Thirsk and Malton seat - where the election was postponed after the death of a candidate - is still to vote. | The Thirsk and Malton seat - where the election was postponed after the death of a candidate - is still to vote. |
| Labour finished with 258 MPs, down 91, the Lib Dems 57, down five, and other parties 28. | Labour finished with 258 MPs, down 91, the Lib Dems 57, down five, and other parties 28. |
| If Labour and the Lib Dems joined forces, they would still not be the largest grouping. With the support of the Northern Irish SDLP, one Alliance MP, and nationalists from Scotland and Wales they would reach 330, rising to 338 if the DUP, the independent unionist and the new Green MP joined them. | If Labour and the Lib Dems joined forces, they would still not be the largest grouping. With the support of the Northern Irish SDLP, one Alliance MP, and nationalists from Scotland and Wales they would reach 330, rising to 338 if the DUP, the independent unionist and the new Green MP joined them. |