David Cameron insisted today that it was “decision time” for the Liberal Democrats as power-sharing talks ran into their fifth day.

With still no clear outcome to the parties’ negotiations in prospect, the Conservative leader appealed to his Lib Dem counterpart Nick Clegg to make “the right decision”.

Mr Cameron’s comments came as senior Lib Dems prepared for further discussions with the Labour Party today.

This morning, Mr Cameron said: “I’ve made a very full, very open, very reasonable offer to the Liberal Democrats to deliver that stable government.

“My own Members of Parliament have shown that they are prepared to put aside party interest in the national interest by agreeing a referendum on the Alternative Vote. It’s now, I believe, decision time – decision time for the Liberal Democrats — and I hope they make the right decision.”

Formal

Senior Lib Dem MP Simon Hughes said he hoped a deal could be struck today.

But he also indicated the Lib Dems were holding out for further concessions from Labour as the price for a centre-left coalition. The Lib Dems entered formal talks with Labour yesterday after Lib Dem MPs signalled they were not happy with all aspects of the Tories’ offer.

Gordon Brown then announced he was quitting as Labour leader — removing one of the major obstacles to a Lib-Lab alliance.

Until then, the Lib Dems had been concentrating on talks with the Tories.

Some Labour MPs were today agitating against a coalition between their party and the Lib Dems.

A Lib-Lab coalition would still not have a Commons majority and would be forced to rely on other, smaller parties as part of a so-called “rainbow” alliance.

Former home secretary David Blunkett warned that a “coalition of the defeated” would spell electoral disaster for Labour.

Today Mr Clegg said he was “as impatient as anyone else to get on with this, to resolve matters one way or another”. “We will act, as ever, responsibly. We will act to try to do our bit to create a stable, good government that the British people deserve,” he said.

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