Its Coalition time in Britain

Britain has its first Coalition Government since 1945 this morning with the prime minister David Cameron handing out cabinet positions to Conservative allies and new Liberal Democrat coalition partners.

Cameron announced that Nick Clegg would be his new deputy prime minister and that the former chancellor Ken Clarke will become justice secretary and Lord Chancellor. Theresa may will be home secretary, becoming only the second woman to hold the office after Jacqui Smith in the last Labour government. May will also be women's minister.

Cameron also appointedGeorge Osbourne to the role of chancellor, William Hague as foreign secretary, Liam Fox as defence secretary and Andrew Lansley as health secretary. Clegg's chief of staff, Danny Alexander, was announced as Scottish secretary. Iain Duncan Smith, the former Tory leader and chairman of the Centre for Social Justice, was expected to be appointed secretary of state for work and pensions.

Among the Lib Dems, Chris Hulme the party's home affairs spokesman, was announced as energy and climate change secretary, while the deputy leader,Vince Cable, has been given responsibility for "business and banks" as business secretary. The Lib Dem education spokesman and former banker, David Laws, will be chief secretary to the Treasury, possibly leaving the position of education secretary to the Tory education spokesman, Michael Gove.

More appointments will follow.