Updated on
Summary
The counting has been completed. David Cameron opened talks with Nick Clegg today about a possible power sharing deal after making a big, open and comprehensive offer to the Lib Dem leader in the wake of Britains first hung parliament since 1974. After the closest election race for a generation the Conservatives were left with 307 seats, a net gain of 97 but still 19 short of a majority. Gordon Brown, said that he wanted to try to form a government in the national interest with the Lib Democrats and other parties. William Hague, Mr Camerons deputy, said that the Tory leader would not rule out including Liberal Democrat ministers in his government. Talks between the parties are expected to continue into the weekend. Mr Cameron told reporters earlier that he thought he enjoyed enough parliamentary support to govern in a confidence and supply arrangement a minority government. The Liberal Democrats won 23 per cent of the vote coming third behind Labours 29 per cent and the Conservatives 36.1 per cent but won only a fraction of the seats of the larger parties. Labour were the largest losers, ceding 91 seats and suffering a 5 per cent swing to the Conservatives. Turn out was at 65 per cent, 3.6 points higher than in 2005 but still the third lowest since the Second World War.
