Hung Parliament

In view of today's press reports about a balanced parliament, it is useful to provide the text of what Nick said on the Andrew Marr show on Sunday. As can be seen these comments do not indicate any preference between the other two parties in the event of no party having an overall majority.

What Nick actually said:

    "I think it is an inevitable fact, it is just stating the obvious, the party which has got the strongest mandate from the British people will have the first right to seek to govern.

    "I start from a very simple first principle - it is not Gordon Brown or David Cameron or Nick Clegg who are kingmakers in British politics - it's the British people.

    "So the votes of the British people are what should determine what happens afterwards.

    "Whichever party have the strongest mandate from the British people, it seems to me obvious in a democracy they have the first right to seek to try and govern, either on their own or with others."