Coalition talks began immediately between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats , and lasted for five days . There was an aborted attempt to put together a Labour/Liberal Democrat coalition ( although other smaller parties would have been required to make up the ten seats they lacked for a majority ) . To facilitate this , Gordon Brown announced on the evening of Monday 10 May that he would resign as Leader of the Labour Party . Realising that a deal with the Conservatives was within reach , the next day on Tuesday 11 May , Brown announced his resignation as Prime Minister , marking the end of 13 years of Labour government . This was accepted by Queen Elizabeth II , who then invited David Cameron to form a government in her name and become Prime Minister . Just after midnight on 12 May , the Liberal Democrats emerged from a meeting of their Parliamentary party and Federal Executive to announce that the coalition deal had been " approved overwhelmingly " , sealing a coalition government of Conservatives and Liberal Democrats
lasted for five days
2010 United Kingdom government formation
2010 United Kingdom general election