Cameron: It's decision time for the Lib Dems

David Cameron insisted today that it was “decision time” for the Liberal Democrats as power-sharing talks ran into their fifth day.

With still no clear outcome to the negotiations in prospect, the Tory leader appealed to Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg to make “the right decision”.

Mr Cameron’s comments came as senior Lib Dems prepared for further discussions with the Labour Party today.

As he left his home in west London this morning, Mr Cameron said: “I’ve made a very full, very open, very reasonable offer to the Liberal Democrats to deliver that stable government.

“My own Members of Parliament have shown that they are prepared to put aside party interest in the national interest by agreeing a referendum on the Alternative Vote.

“It’s now, I believe, decision time – decision time for the Liberal Democrats - and I hope they make the right decision to give this country the strong, stable government that it badly needs and it badly needs quickly.”

Meanwhile Mr Clegg spoke today of his “impatience” as he said negotiations to decide Britain’s future were now at a “critical and final phase”.

But emerging from his semi-detached home in Putney, south west London, the Liberal Democrat leader refused to say whether an announcement on his plans for coalition would be made today.

He said: “The discussions between the political parties has now reached a critical and final phase. I’m as inpatient as anybody else to get on with this, to resolve matters one way or another.”

Mr Clegg indicated that an announcement was close, but refused to answer questions from reporters.

Addressing the media scrum after returning from taking his sons to school, he added: “My parliamentary party was up into the small hours yet again discussing things.

“We will act, as ever, responsibly. We will act to try and do our bit to create a stable, good government the British people deserve.

“I really hope we will be able to make an announcement so we can clean up everything and explain to people exactly what our thinking is as quickly as we possibly can.”

Senior Lib Dem MP Simon Hughes said he hoped a deal could be struck today.

But he also indicated that the Lib Dems were holding out for further concessions from Labour as the price for a centre-left coalition.

“Labour need to think further and go further before there will be any prospect of any arrangement with them,” he told Sky News.

“I think we know what the Conservatives’ offer is, they’ve made that public, they’ve made public what they are saying about a referendum on a form of change to the voting system.

“They’ve moved positively and constructively on other things, including fair taxation.

“We are waiting really to see whether Labour are willing to make progressive suggestions.”