Give Tories a chance to form govt: Lib Dems

London: The Conservative party's hopes of forming Britain's next government have been given a boost, with the third party saying the Tories should be given a chance to form a government.

David Cameron's Conservatives strongly outpolled Labour in Britain's general election Thursday but fell short of being able to govern outright. That leaves both big parties seeking an alliance with the third-place Liberal Democrats.

Liberal Democratic Leader Nick Clegg said Friday that the party that had gained the most seats and the most votes should have "the first right to seek to govern."

He says "that is why I think it is now for the Conservative party to prove that it is capable of seeking to govern in the national interest."