Conservatives and Lib Dems engage in detailed talks

THE Conservatives entered detailed talks with the Liberal Democrats yesterday to look for ways to form a government, under pressure to make progress before nervous financial markets reopen today.

David Cameron’s Conservatives won the most seats in last Thursday’s parliamentary election but fell short of a majority and are seeking the support of Nick Clegg’s third-placed Liberal Democrats to end 13 years of Labour Party rule.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown, whose Labour came a distant second, remains in office in a caretaker role and stands ready to try for an alliance with the Liberal Democrats if they are unable to agree with the Conservatives.