UK parties to hold new talks

Senior Conservatives and Liberal Democrats are to hold more talks about the possibility of their parties forming a new government. The Tories won the most election votes and MPs, but are short of a majority. UK parties to hold new talks BBC political correspondent Reeta Chakrabarti said a "final resolution" was not expected from Sunday's meeting. However, a statement of some sort is expected - partly because the markets open on Monday, and "they want to be able to calm any fears," she said. Gordon Brown remains prime minister, and government business continues, with Chancellor Alistair Darling attending a meeting of finance ministers in Brussels later. Brown has offered the Lib Dems talks if no deal is reached with the Conservatives. A Lib Dem spokesman said Clegg and Brown spoke by telephone on Saturday night at the prime minister's request, describing the conversation as "amicable". Meanwhile, Cameron has told Tory supporters that the negotiations will "inevitably involve compromise". In an e-mail message to supporters, the Conservative leader said he would not be "rushed into any agreement" but may be able to give "ground" in some areas. He said he would stand firm on his pledges not "to give more powers to Brussels, be weak on immigration or put the country's defences at risk". But he added that, in the "national interest", the Conservative Party may be able to give ground in areas such as the Lib Dem manifesto plan to reduce taxes on the lowest paid and hoped for a "similarly constructive approach from the Liberal Democrats". There was no direct reference to the Lib Dem desire for a referendum on voting reform, although on Friday Mr Cameron offered an "all-party committee of inquiry on political and electoral reform". The talks between Cameron and Clegg at Admiralty House in Westminster, on Saturday night, were described by both sides as "constructive and amicable" and followed an earlier brief conversation at the VE day commemoration event in London. Voting referendum offer BBC political editor Nick Robinson said: "They will have been working out whether there is any room there on which they can meet which would allow them to both satisfy their supporters and have some sort of stable coalition or arrangement." Earlier, Clegg discussed the Tory power-sharing offer with his party, the leadership of which has "endorsed in full" his decision to talk to the Tories first. The Lib Dem leader said the Conservatives, as the biggest party, had the right to seek to form a government first. Meanwhile, Labour frontbencher Peter Hain said it was "clear" that the Lib Dem leader and Mr Brown had "a lot in common" on the need for electoral reform - Labour has offered a referendum on changing the voting system. But Labour backbencher John Mann called for Brown to step down as Labour leader before the party conference in September - arguing his position "rules out the credibility of a Lib/Lab pact". Similarly, Labor MP and former sports minister Kate Hoey told BBC Radio 5 live she could not see how Brown could "continue as prime minister in any kind of coalition" because "he wasn't elected originally" and had now "lost over 100 MPs". Scotland's First Minister, SNP leader Alex Salmond, called on the Lib Dems to join a "progressive alliance" involving Labour, the SNP and Plaid Cymru. The Tories secured 306 of the 649 constituencies contested on May 6. It leaves the party just 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. Labor finished with 258 MPs, down 91, the Lib Dems 57, down five, and other parties 28. If Labor 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. Meanwhile, a YouGov poll for the Sunday Times suggests more than two-thirds of people want Brown to leave Downing Street immediately. The poll of more than 1,400 voters found people think he should have admitted defeat on Friday, rather than hanging on in case the Conservatives cannot come to a deal with the Liberal Democrats.

UK parties to hold new talks

BBC political correspondent Reeta Chakrabarti said a "final resolution" was not expected from Sunday's meeting.

However, a statement of some sort is expected - partly because the markets open on Monday, and "they want to be able to calm any fears," she said.

Gordon Brown remains prime minister, and government business continues, with Chancellor Alistair Darling attending a meeting of finance ministers in Brussels later.

Brown has offered the Lib Dems talks if no deal is reached with the Conservatives.

A Lib Dem spokesman said Clegg and Brown spoke by telephone on Saturday night at the prime minister's request, describing the conversation as "amicable".

Meanwhile, Cameron has told Tory supporters that the negotiations will "inevitably involve compromise".

In an e-mail message to supporters, the Conservative leader said he would not be "rushed into any agreement" but may be able to give "ground" in some areas.

He said he would stand firm on his pledges not "to give more powers to Brussels, be weak on immigration or put the country's defences at risk".

But he added that, in the "national interest", the Conservative Party may be able to give ground in areas such as the Lib Dem manifesto plan to reduce taxes on the lowest paid and hoped for a "similarly constructive approach from the Liberal Democrats".

There was no direct reference to the Lib Dem desire for a referendum on voting reform, although on Friday Mr Cameron offered an "all-party committee of inquiry on political and electoral reform".

The talks between Cameron and Clegg at Admiralty House in Westminster, on Saturday night, were described by both sides as "constructive and amicable" and followed an earlier brief conversation at the VE day commemoration event in London.

Voting referendum offer

BBC political editor Nick Robinson said: "They will have been working out whether there is any room there on which they can meet which would allow them to both satisfy their supporters and have some sort of stable coalition or arrangement."

Earlier, Clegg discussed the Tory power-sharing offer with his party, the leadership of which has "endorsed in full" his decision to talk to the Tories first.

The Lib Dem leader said the Conservatives, as the biggest party, had the right to seek to form a government first.

Meanwhile, Labour frontbencher Peter Hain said it was "clear" that the Lib Dem leader and Mr Brown had "a lot in common" on the need for electoral reform - Labour has offered a referendum on changing the voting system.

But Labour backbencher John Mann called for Brown to step down as Labour leader before the party conference in September - arguing his position "rules out the credibility of a Lib/Lab pact".

Similarly, Labor MP and former sports minister Kate Hoey told BBC Radio 5 live she could not see how Brown could "continue as prime minister in any kind of coalition" because "he wasn't elected originally" and had now "lost over 100 MPs".

Scotland's First Minister, SNP leader Alex Salmond, called on the Lib Dems to join a "progressive alliance" involving Labour, the SNP and Plaid Cymru.

The Tories secured 306 of the 649 constituencies contested on May 6. It leaves the party just 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.

Labor finished with 258 MPs, down 91, the Lib Dems 57, down five, and other parties 28.

If Labor 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.

Meanwhile, a YouGov poll for the Sunday Times suggests more than two-thirds of people want Brown to leave Downing Street immediately.

The poll of more than 1,400 voters found people think he should have admitted defeat on Friday, rather than hanging on in case the Conservatives cannot come to a deal with the Liberal Democrats.