First hung Parliament since 1974: Cameron 'open to talks'

Shadow schools secretary Michael Gove stressed it was for his leader to decide who he should talk to, but did not rule out talks with Nick Clegg's Liberal Democrats.

And as Britain headed for a hung Parliament, Lord Mandelson, one of Gordon Brown's key lieutenants, called for a "calm and responsible" approach to any possible coalition talks.

The peer said the electorate had voted for change but had not voted "decisively in favour of the Conservatives".

He told the BBC: "I think, before we start trying to rush around and trying to sort of negotiate or make deals, we just have to wait for the air to clear a little bit more, so that we see those results so that everyone knows where they stand and then approach this in a calm and responsible way, in any discussions that need to take place later on during the day or during the weekend."

Mr Gove said: "I stress it is for David Cameron to decide with whom we should work. We do not yet know the basis on which the new Parliament will be constructed entirely, we don't know the precise arithmetic."

But he added: "It is certainly the case that David Cameron is happy to talk to people in other parties in order to ensure that we can have a strong, stable, Conservative-led government to provide the country with the change it needs."

Labour's deputy leader Harriet Harman indicated that Mr Brown would not "throw in the towel" without making an effort to form a non-Tory government.

Ms Harman told GMTV: "If ultimately there is a majority of people who voted against the Conservatives and a majority of MPs who are not Tories and they can work together, then actually that is a majority government and therefore reflects the way the country has voted."

Asked whether Mr Brown should not accept defeat and allow Mr Cameron a chance to govern, Ms Harman told Sky News: "It is not our decision. It is the people's decision. They have not given an overall majority to David Cameron so he can take over.

"Gordon Brown can't just hand over the Government to somebody who has not been elected to take over from him.

"As Prime Minister, it is his obligation to carry on to see whether he can form a majority and take that forward.

"That is his obligation. He can't throw in the towel."