LONDON â Britain's election deadlock appeared closer to resolution Monday as the Conservatives led by David Cameron and a potential ally both reported progress in talks to form a new government â amid fears that prolonged uncertainty would rattle markets and anger voters.
But Prime Minister Gordon Brown's Labour Party was also making overtures to the third-place Liberal Democrats, refusing to give up on a chance for its own deal to stay in power.
The key issue: Electoral reform, which the Liberal Democrats demand but which the Conservatives fear would banish them to the political wilderness for years to come.
The Conservatives â who won the most seats in Thursday's national vote but fell short of a majority â spent the weekend wooing Nick Clegg and his Liberal Democrats in hopes of forming an alliance. Cameron and Clegg also met face-to-face Monday as teams of party negotiators tried to hammer out a power-sharing deal.
Story link with video: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100510/ap_on_re_eu/eu_britain_election
But Prime Minister Gordon Brown's Labour Party was also making overtures to the third-place Liberal Democrats, refusing to give up on a chance for its own deal to stay in power.
The key issue: Electoral reform, which the Liberal Democrats demand but which the Conservatives fear would banish them to the political wilderness for years to come.
The Conservatives â who won the most seats in Thursday's national vote but fell short of a majority â spent the weekend wooing Nick Clegg and his Liberal Democrats in hopes of forming an alliance. Cameron and Clegg also met face-to-face Monday as teams of party negotiators tried to hammer out a power-sharing deal.
Story link with video: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100510/ap_on_re_eu/eu_britain_election
