coalition agreement 2010 05

© URBAN FORUM 2010

The General Election 2010 returned a hung Parliament, no single political party getting enough seats to ensure a majority in the Commons. The Conservatives won 306 seats, Labour 258 seats, and Liberal Democrats 57 seats, with 28 seats between all the others.

The Conservatives had a choice; to set up a minority government, on the basis of having won the most seats, or enter into a coalition with another party. They decided the latter, resulting in the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrat Party coalition forming the new government.

In the coalition, the new Prime Minister David Cameron has agreed to Nick Clegg, as the Leader of the Liberal Democrats becoming Deputy Prime Minister, and 5 Liberal Democrats as ministers in the new cabinet, to work alongside 17 Conservative ministers.

The coalition is based on agreement reached by the two parties in a number of policy areas. Some are definite proposals, others are agreements to seek agreement, or develop proposals. Agreement was also reached on what Liberal Democrats can and can't do on areas of disagreement. These were published on 11th May 2010 in ‘Conservative Liberal Democrat coalition negotiations. Agreement reached'.

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