This game between who gets the Lib Dems is getting rather annoying and childish! This party did poorest in the General Elections and now they have the best of both worlds! It's become an International Joke! These Three musketeers should get their act together before further damaging Britain on World Stage!
(BBC) - The Lib Dems and Conservatives have resumed negotiations for a fourth day, as a senior Lib Dem tells the BBC the Tory offer was the "only deal in town".
Nick Clegg and David Cameron met again in private on Tuesday morning, while a Lib Dem team held talks with Labour.
The BBC's Iain Watson said a senior Lib Dem told him his personal view was the Tory offer was the best option.
But some Tories are angry that the Lib Dems were secretly talking to Labour about forming a possible government.
Those talks were formalised on Monday when Gordon Brown announced he would be stepping down as Labour leader.
'Good discussions'
Entering the latest negotiations, senior Conservative William Hague said the Tories felt "very strongly that there should be a government with a strong and secure majority in the House of Commons and an elected prime minister".
He added they remained "firmly of that view" and had set out proposals to achieve that - "we have come here to hear the Liberal Democrat response".
Labour's Ed Miliband said they had had "good discussions" with the Lib Dems earlier, but some Labour figures have warned against a deal.
Lib Dem leader Mr Clegg said talks had reached a "critical and final phase" and his party would "do our bit to create a stable, good government".
Both Labour and the Tories are trying to woo the Lib Dems with promises on electoral reform to help them form a government, after the Conservatives won the most seats in Thursday's election but were short of an overall majority.
Labour say if the Lib Dems back them they will put the Alternative Vote system into law and then hold a referendum asking voters if they want a proportional representation voting system - a key issue for the Lib Dems.
'Shambles'
But some senior Labour figures have warned a coalition could be damaging and oppose PR. Former home secretary David Blunkett told the BBC any deal with Labour would be "a coalition of the defeated" and said the developments showed why full proportional representation was a bad idea.
"I think we can wear AV... What we can't have is this shambles every time we have an election. "
Under AV, voters rank candidates in a constituency. If no-one gets 50% of votes the candidate finishing last gets eliminated and their second preferences are awarded to the remaining candidates. This continues until one candidates passes the 50% mark.
The Conservatives upped their offer to the Lib Dems to a promise of a referendum on changing the voting system from existing first past the post system to AV.
Speaking on Tuesday morning Mr Cameron said his party had made a "very reasonable" offer to the Lib Dems and had put aside party interest in favour of the national interest - the Conservatives oppose changing the voting system.
Mr Cameron said: "It's now, I believe, decision time, decision time for the Liberal Democrats and I hope they will make the right decision to give this country the strong, stable government that it badly needs and badly needs quickly."
But former Conservative cabinet minister Sir Malcolm Rifkind told the BBC he was "saddened, depressed and very angry" about what had happened. He said he had believed Mr Clegg was "acting in a very honourable way" before learning his team had been secretly meeting Labour.
Meanwhile David Miliband refused to be drawn on the progress of talks between the Lib Dems and Labour - but appeared to confirm he would stand to succeed Mr Brown as Labour leader, saying: "I'm certainly not going to be saying anything more - and none of the candidates are going to be saying anything more."
'Rainbow coalition'
Influential Labour backbencher Jon Cruddas put out a statement calling for the entire party and the trade unions to be consulted about any deal between Labour and the Lib Dems.
BBC News Channel chief political correspondent Laura Kuenssberg said it suggested he was considering himself as a candidate for the Labour leadership.
Labour's ruling national executive committee is meeting on Tuesday to discuss the prospect of a coalition and the time it will take to replace Mr Brown.
Senior Lib Dem and Labour figures have appeared to rule out a "rainbow coalition" involving the SNP and have said instead they could rule as a minority government, confident that the Scottish nationalists would not vote with the Conservatives.
Labour's election co-ordinator Douglas Alexander told BBC Radio Scotland he "cannot envisage" the SNP being involved in any coalition agreement because there were "fundamental differences" between them.
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, with the Thirsk and Malton seat - where the election was postponed after the death of a candidate - still to vote.
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 have an overall majority.
With the support of the Northern Irish SDLP, one Alliance MP, and nationalists from Scotland and Wales they would reach 328, rising to 338 if the DUP, the independent unionist and the new Green MP joined them.
(BBC) - The Lib Dems and Conservatives have resumed negotiations for a fourth day, as a senior Lib Dem tells the BBC the Tory offer was the "only deal in town".
Nick Clegg and David Cameron met again in private on Tuesday morning, while a Lib Dem team held talks with Labour.
The BBC's Iain Watson said a senior Lib Dem told him his personal view was the Tory offer was the best option.
But some Tories are angry that the Lib Dems were secretly talking to Labour about forming a possible government.
Those talks were formalised on Monday when Gordon Brown announced he would be stepping down as Labour leader.
'Good discussions'
Entering the latest negotiations, senior Conservative William Hague said the Tories felt "very strongly that there should be a government with a strong and secure majority in the House of Commons and an elected prime minister".
He added they remained "firmly of that view" and had set out proposals to achieve that - "we have come here to hear the Liberal Democrat response".
Labour's Ed Miliband said they had had "good discussions" with the Lib Dems earlier, but some Labour figures have warned against a deal.
Lib Dem leader Mr Clegg said talks had reached a "critical and final phase" and his party would "do our bit to create a stable, good government".
Both Labour and the Tories are trying to woo the Lib Dems with promises on electoral reform to help them form a government, after the Conservatives won the most seats in Thursday's election but were short of an overall majority.
Labour say if the Lib Dems back them they will put the Alternative Vote system into law and then hold a referendum asking voters if they want a proportional representation voting system - a key issue for the Lib Dems.
'Shambles'
But some senior Labour figures have warned a coalition could be damaging and oppose PR. Former home secretary David Blunkett told the BBC any deal with Labour would be "a coalition of the defeated" and said the developments showed why full proportional representation was a bad idea.
"I think we can wear AV... What we can't have is this shambles every time we have an election. "
Under AV, voters rank candidates in a constituency. If no-one gets 50% of votes the candidate finishing last gets eliminated and their second preferences are awarded to the remaining candidates. This continues until one candidates passes the 50% mark.
The Conservatives upped their offer to the Lib Dems to a promise of a referendum on changing the voting system from existing first past the post system to AV.
Speaking on Tuesday morning Mr Cameron said his party had made a "very reasonable" offer to the Lib Dems and had put aside party interest in favour of the national interest - the Conservatives oppose changing the voting system.
Mr Cameron said: "It's now, I believe, decision time, decision time for the Liberal Democrats and I hope they will make the right decision to give this country the strong, stable government that it badly needs and badly needs quickly."
But former Conservative cabinet minister Sir Malcolm Rifkind told the BBC he was "saddened, depressed and very angry" about what had happened. He said he had believed Mr Clegg was "acting in a very honourable way" before learning his team had been secretly meeting Labour.
Meanwhile David Miliband refused to be drawn on the progress of talks between the Lib Dems and Labour - but appeared to confirm he would stand to succeed Mr Brown as Labour leader, saying: "I'm certainly not going to be saying anything more - and none of the candidates are going to be saying anything more."
'Rainbow coalition'
Influential Labour backbencher Jon Cruddas put out a statement calling for the entire party and the trade unions to be consulted about any deal between Labour and the Lib Dems.
BBC News Channel chief political correspondent Laura Kuenssberg said it suggested he was considering himself as a candidate for the Labour leadership.
Labour's ruling national executive committee is meeting on Tuesday to discuss the prospect of a coalition and the time it will take to replace Mr Brown.
Senior Lib Dem and Labour figures have appeared to rule out a "rainbow coalition" involving the SNP and have said instead they could rule as a minority government, confident that the Scottish nationalists would not vote with the Conservatives.
Labour's election co-ordinator Douglas Alexander told BBC Radio Scotland he "cannot envisage" the SNP being involved in any coalition agreement because there were "fundamental differences" between them.
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, with the Thirsk and Malton seat - where the election was postponed after the death of a candidate - still to vote.
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 have an overall majority.
With the support of the Northern Irish SDLP, one Alliance MP, and nationalists from Scotland and Wales they would reach 328, rising to 338 if the DUP, the independent unionist and the new Green MP joined them.
