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BBC MUNDO RADIO
SENIOR Conservative and Lib Dem figures have spent hours locked in negotiations today in a bid to reach a historic power-sharing deal — but Britain's future government may still not be decided until at least tomorrow.
Delegations from both sides were attempting to hammer out an agreement which could see the two parties come together to form a coalition government and finally boot Gordon Brown out of No10.
But the caretaker PM continued to desperately cling to power today as he told supporters in an email that he is refusing to admit defeat despite being beaten into second place by David Cameron at the polls.
A Conservative spokesman said yesterday the party is keen to conclude discussions quickly but it was now "likely that it won't come before Monday".
All sides are accutely aware of the instability delays could bring to the stock market when it opens tomorrow.
The top level talks followed a 70-minute face-to-face discussion between Mr Cameron and Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg yesterday which took place on neutral ground in Whitehall.
Both sides described the meeting as "constructive and amicable".
Mr Brown, however, is refusing to admit defeat and in an email to activists today vowed to cling to power.
He wrote: "My resolve has not, and will not, change. I pledged to do everything in my power to fight for the people of this country - to secure the recovery, to protect their livelihoods and to continue to fight for a future fair for all."
A YouGov survey for the Sunday Times found that 62 per cent of voters think he should concede defeat and clear the way for a new Prime Minister.
It comes after Mr Clegg spoke to Mr Brown on the phone for a second time yesterday at the PM's request.
Sources revealed the conversation had been tense after Mr Brown threw a tantrum and ranted at Mr Clegg for suggesting he should no longer be PM.
Today, he returned from his home in Scotland for a meeting with cabinet colleagues.
He faced further pressure to go this morning after former Labour energy minister Malcolm Wicks said he should face facts and accept defeat.
He said: "The Labour party has to be grown up about this. We've suffered a major electoral setback and we've just got to take it on the chin."
Labour's Graham Stringer, MP for Manchester Blackley, also joined two other Labour MPs — Bassetlaw MP John Mann and Vauxhall MP Kate Hoey — in calling for Mr Brown to stand down.
Mr Stringer said he had spoken to 15 Labour MPs who agreed he should go.
Lib Dem MPs have already endorsed Mr Clegg's decision to enter talks with the Tories, who came first in Thursday's election, over possible co-operation in forming a new government.
Mr Clegg addressed his senior frontbench team and a meeting of the party's 57 MPs in Westminster yesterday and received the "full and complete" support of both groups for his strategy, said Lib Dem negotiator David Laws.
Mr Clegg predicted that talks on forming a government could take days and said he would make the case for four priorities.
These included fairer taxes, changes to the education system to boost the chances of poorer pupils, a new approach to the economy and "fundamental" political reform.
The Lib Dems and the Conservatives began their meeting at 11am today and Clegg returned to Lib Dem HQ around 3pm.
News that talks are set to drag on will further unsettle the financial markets which plunged on Friday when it became apparent that Britain was stuck with a hung parliament.
The pound and the London stock market took a battering because of the political turmoil, with Mr Brown — who polled just 29 per cent of the vote — refusing to shift from Downing Street.
A Conservative source said that Tory MPs were being kept in touch with developments by the chief whip and that the leadership was not aware of any dissent from among their ranks.
And in a message to Tory supporters Mr Cameron assured them he would "stand firm" on Conservative policy on immigration, defence, and the handover of further powers to the EU.
Lib Dem sources said there had been no discussion during negotiations with the Tories of what ministerial posts might be on offer for the party in a coalition administration.
A spokesman said: "We have made clear that we would have to agree a policy programme before there would be any discussion of jobs, if that was appropriate."
Yesterday Mr Clegg joined Mr Cameron and Mr Brown to mark the 65th anniversary of VE Day at the Cenotaph in Whitehall.
Later as the Lib Dem leader met with party members in Westminster, a group of protesters, accompanied by a police escort, marched into Smith Square chanting "Fair votes now".
The demonstrators, mostly wearing purple, also waved placards and flags as the meeting of the Lib Dem parliamentary party continued inside Local Government House.
Police estimated there were around 1,000 protesters making their way from Parliament Square.
They began chanting "we want to speak to Nick".
Pam Giddy, from campaign group Power 2010, said the campaigners were from a range of organisations seeking a "purple revolution".
Urging the Lib Dems to "stay strong" on their commitment to voting reform, she added: "People want electoral reform.
"They have said they do not want any one party in Downing Street.
"Mr Clegg has the opportunity of a generation."
