Nick Clegg offers coalition talks to David Cameron

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Source: TimesOnline (UK)



Nick Clegg rebuffed Labour overtures today and declared that it should be David Cameron and not Gordon Brown who gets the first chance to form a government now that Britain has elected a hung Parliament.

With the Tories set to become the largest force in the Commons but falling 20 seats short of a majority, the Liberal Democrat leader returned to Westminster this morning as a kingmaker - even though his party lost a net seven seats on the night.

As Mr Clegg's car - tracked by rolling news channel helicopters - wended its way through Central London to the party's Cowley Street headquarters, the Prime Minister issued a statement saying that he had authorised the civil service to facilitate coalition talks because no party could now win a majority.

Mr Clegg was quick to respond, reminding reporters that he had consistently argued that it was the party with the most seats and votes that should get first tilt at government rather than the incumbent.

"I stick to that view," he added. "It seems this morning that it is the Conservative Party which has more votes and more seats - although not an absolute majority - which is why I now think that it is the Conservative Party which should seek to govern in the national interest."


Read more: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article7119359.ece