Timeline: How the coalition was forged

TUESDAY, MAY 11

0845 - As he leaves his west London home, Mr Cameron says he has made a "very full, very open, very reasonable offer" and it is now decision time for the Liberal Democrats.

0900 - International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander tells BBC Radio Scotland he "can't envisage circumstances in which we would enter into agreement with the Scottish National Party, given how fundamental are the differences between our two parties".

Welsh Secretary Peter Hain appeals to Plaid Cymru on BBC Radio Wales to "stop the Conservatives" by supporting a Labour-led government.

0915 - Mr Clegg says negotiations to decide Britain's future are at a "critical and final phase". Speaking outside his home in Putney, south west London, he says he is "as impatient as anyone else" to resolve the political impasse and hopes to make an announcement "as quickly as we possibly can".

1007 - A Liberal Democrat source says formal talks between Labour and Liberal Democrat negotiating teams have begun in the House of Commons.

1211 - An MP for Ulster's Democratic Unionist Party, Jeffrey Donaldson, says "senior level" discussions were held as formal talks began between Labour and the Liberal Democrats.

The nationalist SDLP says it would prefer an agreement between Labour and the Liberal Democrats.

1249 - As the Labour negotiating team emerges after nearly three hours of talks in the Commons, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband says they were "good discussions". He later describes the talks as "constructive" but reports in Westminster suggest the Lib Dems remain cautious about a pact.

1400 - Liberal Democrat negotiators return to discussions with Conservatives at the Cabinet Office following an hour-long private meeting between Mr Clegg and Mr Cameron in the morning.

1532 - Mr Cameron tells reporters "I'm just in the dark, like all of you" after he is asked if he is confident of a deal.

1546 - Former lord chancellor Lord Falconer says Mr Brown should "call it quits" on efforts to form a progressive coalition with the Liberal Democrats.

He joins a string of Labour figures including former Health Secretary Andy Burnham and former Home Secretary David Blunkett in warning that joining a "coalition of the defeated" would lead to electoral disaster.

1743 - Liberal Democrat Simon Hughes, widely seen as on the left of the party, says he would be prepared to support a deal with the Conservatives.

1919 - Mr Brown announces his resignation outside Downing Street. He says it had been "a privilege to serve" and wishes his successor well.

1923 - Mr Brown leaves Downing Street for Buckingham Palace with his family for an audience with the Queen.

1935 - Liberal Democrat and Conservative negotiators leave the Cabinet Office after more than five hours of talks.

1949 - Mr Brown arrives at Labour Party HQ where he is greeted by party colleagues and stays for around 20 minutes.

2008 - David Cameron and his wife Samantha arrive at Buckingham Palace where the Queen confirms him as Prime Minister.

2045 - David Cameron and his wife arrive in Downing Street where he addresses reporters.

He says the country faced deep problems but the new government would put aside party differences.

2106 - White House press secretary Robert Gibbs reveals President Obama was to telephone Mr Cameron shortly.

Later that night, William Hague is confirmed as Foreign Secretary and George Osborne becomes Chancellor of the Exchequer.

2130 - Nick Clegg arrives at a meeting of Liberal Democrat MPs.

2145 - William Hague is confirmed as Foreign Secretary, the first in a series of new Cabinet positions that are revealed.

2206 - David Cameron and his wife arrive at a meeting with Tory MPs at the House of Commons to loud applause and cheers.

2255 - Gordon Brown arrives back at his home in North Queensferry, Scotland.

2308 - Nick Clegg is confirmed as Deputy Prime Minister, with four other Cabinet posts to be filled by Liberal Democrats.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 12

0010 - A deal to form a coalition government with the Conservatives is approved by Liberal Democrat MPs, peers and the party's ruling federal executive.

0050 - In a brief speech, Nick Clegg says he hopes his party's coalition with Conservatives will mark the creation of a "new kind of government" in Britain. He also pays tribute to Gordon Brown.

0100 - Asked for his reaction to the coalition deal, former Lib Dem leader Lord Ashdown simply says: "Hooray."

0742 - Former home secretary Alan Johnson announces he will not stand for the Labour leadership and will support David Miliband's campaign for the job.

0740 - David Cameron leaves his west London home to go to Downing Street for his first full day as Prime Minister, arriving just before 8am.

0934 - Nick Clegg and David Cameron shake hands on the doorstep of Number 10 and wave as they pose for photos briefly before going inside together.

1030 - New Chancellor George Osborne arrives at the Treasury and says it is time to "roll up the sleeves and get Britain working".

11.43 - Kenneth Clarke is announced as Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor, and Theresa May is confirmed as Home Secretary and Minister for Women and Equality.

Liam Fox is to be Defence Secretary, while Patrick McLoughlin, the Tory chief whip when the Conservatives were in opposition, will carry on as the Government Chief Whip.

13.05 - Vince Cable's appointment as Business Secretary is announced and David Laws is confirmed Treasury Chief Secretary.

13.06 - Sources confirm that former Tory Party leader Iain Duncan Smith will be the new Work and Pensions Secretary.

13.08 - Michael Gove is named Education Secretary and Andrew Lansley Health Secretary.

14.25 - Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg hold their first joint press conference in the Downing Street rose garden.

Mr Cameron promises a "new politics" in which "the national interest is more important than the party interest" and says the alliance represents a "historic and seismic shift" in the political landscape.

Mr Clegg says: "Until today we were rivals and now we are colleagues and that says a lot about the new politics."