Miliband, Clegg and Farage all go as Cameron wins second term

By The Press Association8th May 2015News EnglandGeneral Election, News England

David Cameron has promised voters “we are on the brink of something special in this country” as he returned to Downing Street as a Prime Minister with a Tory Commons majority for the first time.

The premier saw his seat tally tick over the all important mark of 326, an absolute majority, while he was at Buckingham Palace with Her Majesty The Queen.

He paid tribute to Nick Clegg’s work as Deputy Prime Minister and welcomed Ed Miliband’s “typically gracious” concession call earlier today.

Standing in Downing Street in front of the famous black door, Mr Cameron said: “We can make Britain a place where a good life is in reach for everyone who is willing to work and do the right thing.”

The Prime Minister vowed to deliver his entire manifesto, including an in-out referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU, now he had a majority government.

He said: “As we conduct this vital work we must ensure we bring our country together.

“As I said in the small hours of this morning, we will govern as a party of one nation, one United Kingdom.

“That means ensuring this recovery reaches all parts of our country from north to south, from east to west.

“And indeed it means rebalancing our economy, building that northern powerhouse. It means giving everyone in our country a chance so no matter where you are from you have the opportunity to make the most of your life.”

Mr Cameron said he had “always believed in governing with respect”, promising to implement further devolution to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

He added: “Governing with respect means ensuring the nations of our United Kingdom have their own governments as well as the United Kingdom government. Both are important.

“And indeed with our plans, the governance of these nations will become powerful with wider responsibilities.”

Mr Cameron concluded: “The real opportunities lie ahead. Everything I have seen over the last five years and, indeed, during this election campaign has proved once again this is a country with unrivalled skills and creativeness. A country with such good humour and such compassion.

“I am convinced that if we draw on all of this then we can take these islands with all our proud history and build an even prouder future.

“Together we can make Great Britain greater still.”

As he travelled back to Conservative HQ to watch the last results come in, Mr Cameron tweeted a picture of himself kissing wife Samantha.

“Here’s to a brighter future for everyone,” he wrote.

Earlier, Ed Miliband quit as Labour leader. Reflecting on the devastating results after 30 seconds of applause, Mr Miliband said he took “absolute and total responsibility” for the result, offering apologies to big Labour beasts including Ed Balls and Jim Murphy who were defeated overnight.

He added: “Britain needs a strong Labour Party, Britain needs a Labour Party that can rebuild after this debate so we can have a government that stands up for working people again.

“And now it is time for someone else to take forward the leadership of this party. So I am tendering my resignation, taking effect after this afternoon’s commemoration of VE Day at the Cenotaph.

“I want to do so straight away because the party needs to have an open and honest debate about the right way forward, without constraint.”

Rather than breaking through as forecast by opinion polls, Labour saw losses to the Tories in key marginal seats and failed to win the Conservatives most vulnerable constituencies.

Mr Miliband paid a fulsome tribute to Harriet Harman, who will take over as leader during the coming election contest, as the “best deputy leader anyone could hope for”.

And he said: “We have come back before and this party will come back again.”

Nick Clegg reflected on Lib Dem achievements in government and said serving his country had been a privilege.

But Mr Clegg said: “I always expected this election to be exceptionally difficult for the Liberal Democrats given the heavy responsibilities we have had to bear in government in the most challenging of circumstances.

“But clearly the results have been immeasurably more crushing and unkind than I could ever have feared. For that, of course, I must take responsibility.”

Nigel Farage resigned as Ukip leader after finishing second in Thanet South, telling activists “I’m a man of my word” after promising defeat would force him to quit.

But Mr Farage raised the prospect he would consider running to return to the job after a summer off when the contest is held in September.

Mr Farage said he would recommend Suzanne Evans, the deputy chairman, be a stand-in leader until the leadership challenge is complete.