EAST LANCASHIRE’S Liberal Democrats and Conservatives have spoken out in favour of a proposed deal between their parties after the country was left with a hung Parliament.

The Tories and Lib Dems spent yesterday in talks following a frantic weekend of negotiations between the three main political parties.

Nick Clegg is facing strong opposition from parts of his party to a deal with the Conservatives, with the Lib Dems seen as closer aligned to Labour on policy matters.

But Labour and the Lib Dems would not be able to command a majority, and in the aftermath of Thursday’s poll Blackburn MP Jack Straw said a coalition “doesn’t look like it’s going to fly”. Tory Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans said he would be “absolutely stunned” if a Lib-Lab pact was formed.

He said: “I just hope that Nick Clegg will do what he said during the campaign, which was to support the biggest party.

“David Cameron now deserves the chance to govern this country.”

Mr Evans, who was re-elected last week with a 14,769 majority, claimed the Lib Dems’ flagship policy of a proportional voting system would lead to more confusion and hung Parliaments.

But he said: “I would be prepared to do almost anything if it was in the best interests of this country, There are no no-go areas.” Lib Dem Gordon Birtwistle, who ousted Labour to become Burnley’s MP on Thursday, called on the party to “bury the hatchet” with the Tories, put demands of voting reform to one side and focus on improving the economy.

Blackburn with Darwen Council deputy leader David Foster admitted his leader was faced with a “dilemma”.

He said: “Nick Clegg has a responsibility to act as a statesman, but there are also key policy issues we put forward, which in many cases put us nearer to Labour.”