Brown must act now on Zimbabwe, says Clegg

4.30.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 31st Mar 2008

Zimbabwe flag

Nick Clegg has today called on Gordon Brown to seek urgent discussions with international leaders, to put pressure on Zimbabwe for a swift and transparent declaration of results and to rally support for a possible new Government.

As election results trickle in, a spokesperson for the opposition MDC said his party had won 96 of the 128 (out of 210) parliamentary seats where it has calculated results. But he claimed the country's Election Commission was planning to announce that Mr Mugabe had won 52% of the vote - enough to avoid a run-off. Nick Clegg is calling for Gordon Brown to instigate an international conference to agree a transition plan for Zimbabwe in the event that the opposition win the elections. Among other things, the Conference would seek to outline an economic rescue plan for Zimbabwe, provide expert advice and technical assistance to redevelop Zimbabwe's administrative capacity, and assist with the resettling of returning refugees and exiles, particularly those with the skills to help rebuild Zimbabwe's economy, infrastructure and civil society.

Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg said "There is a very real threat of a Kenyan-style stand-off between the opposition and Mugabe's regime which is potentially even more dangerous, given the fragility of the Zimbabwean state. The Prime Minister must ensure that the international community is ready with the vital economic and political support that Zimbabwe will need if a new Government comes to power."