General election 2010: The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats negotiate

The Conservative leader, David Cameron, returns to his home in west London after getting the newspapers
Photograph: Carl Court/AFP/Getty Images

The Liberal Democrat leader, Nick Clegg, prepares to speak to the media outside his London home
Photograph: Sang Tan/AP

The Liberal Democrat shadow home secretary, Chris Huhne, arrives at the Cabinet Office to hold talks with a team of senior figures from the Conservatives
Photograph: Dan Chung for the Guardian

Cameron and his wife, Samantha, arrive for a church service at Kensington, in London
Photograph: Tim Ireland/Getty Images

Clegg – with a newspaper's chicken character looking on – speaks to the media
Photograph: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

William Hague, the Conservative shadow foreign secretary, and George Osborne, the shadow chancellor, arrive at the Cabinet Office to hold talks with the Liberal Democrats
Photograph: Oli Scarff/Getty Images

William Hague and George Osborne make their way into the Cabinet Office
Photograph: Graeme Robertson for the Guardian

The Conservative party talks team, led by William Hague, arrives at the Cabinet Office
Photograph: Dan Chung for the Guardian

The Liberal Democrat education spokesman, David Laws (right), and Andrew Stunell arrive at the Cabinet Office
Photograph: Graeme Robertson for the Guardian

The former Liberal Democrat leader Paddy Ashdown leaves Clegg's London home
Photograph: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

Gordon Brown and his wife, Sarah, walk to church in North Queensferry, Scotland
Photograph: David Moir/Reuters

Brown and his wife leave church in North Queensferry, Scotland
Photograph: David Moir/Reuters

The Conservative party leader, David Cameron, leaves his home in west London
Photograph: Toby Melville/Reuters

Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg, leaves his home as Lib Dems and the Conservatives talk about a possible deal
Photograph: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

Prime Minister Gordon Brown leaves his car as he arrives at Downing Street
Photograph: Matt Cardy/Getty Images

The energy secretary, Ed Miliband, arrives for a meeting with Gordon Brown in Downing Street
Photograph: Graeme Robertson for the Guardian

The prime minister's spokesman Simon Lewis arrives for a meeting with Gordon Brown at No 10
Photograph: Graeme Robertson for the Guardian

Harriet Harman arrives at the rear entrance of Downing Street
Photograph: Matt Cardy/Getty Images