Lib Dem leader backs Cameron for premier

The Tories gained 96 seats, mostly in the counties surrounding London and in the south and southwest of England. They also made modest gains in the Midlands, the northwest and in Wales - not enough of a breakthrough in terms of the required nine percent swing to see them home with a working majority.

This means that no party has emerged with a decisive victory, and the political horse-trading started almost immediately behind the scenes.

Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown has not officially conceded defeat and in a statement outside No 10 Downing Street said Friday that he would be "willing to see any of the party leaders" to discuss how to proceed in government.

"What we have seen are no ordinary election results. We find ourselves in a position unknown to this generation of political leaders. (Tory leader) David Cameron and (Lib Dem leader) Nick Clegg should clearly be entitled to take as much time as they see necessary to consider their positions," stressed Brown.

The prime minister said he understood and "completely" respected the position of Clegg, who earlier stressed that Cameron had the moral right to see whether he can form a stable government because the Conservatives had gained the most seats.

The final result gave the Conservatives 306 seats with 36 percent of the popular vote; Labour 258 seats with 29 percent of the vote; the Lib Dems a disappointing 57 seats with 23 percent of the vote; and others 28 seats with 11.9 percent of the vote.

The remaining one seat will be decided later in the month - the poll in the Thirsk and Malton constituency had to be postponed to later this month due to the death of the UKIP candidate; Kazinform cites The Arab News.

See www.arabnews.com for full version