The Liberal Democrats have formally ratified the coalition with the Conservatives
Britain's new Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife, Samantha, on the doorstep of 10 Downing Street after an audience with The Queen at which she invited him to form a new government
Britain's new Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife, Samantha, wave on the doorstep of 10 Downing Street after an audience with The Queen
New Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha meet Cabinet Secretary Gus O'Donnell in the Cabinet Room of 10 Downing Street, London, after an audience with The Queen at which she invited him to form a new government
Britain's new Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife, Samantha, stand in Downing Street after an audience with The Queen
Britain's new Prime Minister David Cameron leaves Buckingham Palace after receiving an invitation from Britain's Queen Elizabeth II to form a new government
Britain's new Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife, Samantha, stand in Downing Street
Britain's new Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife, Samantha, stand in Downing Street
Britain's new Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife, Samantha, stand in Downing Street after an audience with The Queen at which she invited him to form a new government
The official Buckingham Palace document released by the press office, announcing Queen Elizabeth II's request for David Cameron to form a new administration
Britain's new Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife, Samantha, wave on the doorstep of 10 Downing Street
Britain's new Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife, Samantha, on the doorstep of 10 Downing Street
Staff listen to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown making a statement as he leaves Downing Street on May 11, 2010 in London, England
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II greets David Cameron at Buckingham Palace in an audience to invite him to be the next Prime Minister
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II greets David Cameron at Buckingham Palace in an audience to invite him to be the next Prime Minister
The new Prime Minister David Cameron leaves Buckingham Palace on May 11, 2010 in London, England
Prime Minister David Cameron and wife Samantha Cameron stand on the steps of Downing Street
Prime Minister Gordon Brown, his wife Sarah and their sons James Fraser and John leave Downing Street on May 11, 2010 in London, England. After five days of negotiation a Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government has been confirmed
Prime Minister Gordon Brown gives a statement outside 10 Downing Street
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has announced his resignation
Prime Minister Gordon Brown speaks about the current state of Government and announces that he will step down as Labour leader, outside number 10 Downing Street on May 10, 2010 in London
Possible candidates to replace Gordon Brown as leader of the Labour Party (1st row, left - right) Harriet Harman, Alan Johnson, David Miliband (2nd row, left - right) Ed Balls, Jack Straw and Ed Miliband. David Miliband emerged as early favourite to take over from Gordon Brown as the next Labour leader, according to bookmakers. The Foreign Secretary is the front-runner in the Labour leadership contest with the bookmakers Paddy Power, William Hill and Ladbrokes.
Television crews conduct interviews with politicians and journalists into the night adjacent to the Houses of Parliament on May 10, 2010
Gordon Brown jokes with David Miliband - the man who could now replace him as Labour leader
Foreign Secretary David Miliband leaves Downing Street on May 10, 2010 in London, England.
William Hague, the Conservative Shadow Foreign Secretary, addresses media outside the Houses of Parliament on May 10, 2010
Electoral reform protesters demonstrate outside the Workers Foundation in Westminster on May 10, 2010 in London, England
An electoral reform protester wears a mask depecting David Cameron as they gather outside the Workers Foundation in Westminster on May 10, 2010 in London, England
An electoral reform protester wears a mask depecting David Cameron as they gather outside the Workers Foundation in Westminster on May 10, 2010 in London, England
Conservative Party education spokeman Michael Gove gestures to a colleague at Parliament on May 10, 2010 in London, England
Conservative Party education spokeman Michael Gove (L) talks with former Liberal Democrat MP Lembit Opik at Parliament on May 10
Hilary Benn, the Environment Secretary, leaves Downing Street following a cabinet meeting on May 10, 2010 in London, England
Peter Hain, the Welsh secretary, leaves Downing Street following a cabinet meeting on May 10, 2010
Secretary of State for Health Andy Burnham arrives for a cabinet meeting at 10 Downing Street, London on May 10, 2010 in London
Harriet Harman, Labour's deputy leader leaves Downing Street following a cabinet meeting on May 10, 2010 in London, England
12 May 2010
The Liberal Democrat Party has formally ratified the coalition deal with the Conservatives.
The Lib Dem parliamentary party and the party's federal executive endorsed the agreement by the required three-quarters majority, a party spokesman said.
The deal was agreed at a late-night meeting at Westminster, a few hundred yards from the Houses of Parliament.
Sources said the deal was approved unanimously by the party's MPs and opposed by only one - unnamed - member of the federal executive.
Mr Clegg and the negotiating team received standing ovations, he said.
Although the required majority was secured, the party will convene a special conference in Birmingham on Saturday for activists to discuss the deal.
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