In retrospect,  the campaign obviously was effective? 

BBC projecting 329 seats for the Tories. So in effect, an overall majority of 6.

Miliband is unelectable - That is the issue

There's a lot of water to pass under the bridge and big issues about the EU and UK to chew on which will take a lot of thinking. There's also an opportunity for smaller scale change. For example, the future of the BBC must now be under close scrutiny. Politics aside the funding model and mode of operation is no longer fit for purpose in the new technological era. Another obvious candidate for reform and privatisation is the UK Met Office. The potential for this new Tory government is very exciting and it needs to 'hit the ground running' as they say. Dave also needs to make clear how long he is staying for and firm up his direction and beliefs. 

As I said I thought it was terrible and am eating humble pie. Had it been more to my taste I would obviously have supported the Tories but perhaps many others wouldn't. That's history now and the battleground now is the direction country takes under Tory stewardship. IMVHO it's the most exciting day for the country since Mrs T's 3rd landslide in 1987. The 'bad election' to win is nonsense which no one can predict. 

It was wretched. Dave was saved by a combination of Jimmy Krankie grinding Labour into the dust north of the border and facing someone south of the border with the personality of a corpse.

P.S. The only reason I'm staying up is because Balls is in serious trouble. I'm awaiting the result.

His wife will not be happy. I expect she'll be running for leader shortly!

Wow! Just WOW!! What a night, and who predicted this?! 

Im looking forward to seeing various TWO members eating various items of clothing. Also Pantsdown buying a hat and eating it, and the pollsters that claimed the exit poll was wrong and they were right, feasting on humble pie. 

What at a fantastic Friday this is 

Another characterless killjoy. 

ROFL - Meanwhile Balls demanding a recount as he's 200 short apparently!

I'm disappointed - very disappointed - at the fisting the Lib Dems have received. I wanted them to remain in government. However, Miliband deserved what he got and I await the ejection of Balls with relish. 

There is something truly wonderful about this result, though. I love it when all the experts and smug pr*cks like Balls are confounded in this manner. 

But the fracturing of the UK is not something that I welcome.

On a local level it's disappointing that our useless MP was re-elected, but it's a fair result - he pulled in nearly 50% of the vote, so it was obviously the will of the people. UKIP went from 5% locally to 25%, with the Tory vote only down by 0.5% from last time - it looks like UKIP gained mostly from the Lib Dems and a bit from Labour.

On a wider level, I'm not looking forward to a "true blue" government, I liked the idea of the Lib Dems moderating the Tories somewhat.

I also reckon yesterday is the day we as a nation voted to leave the EU, which is sad in my view - but there we go. We'll see in due course whether leaving the EU will be as bad as I fear it will be!

Not nailed on in my view - It would be a mistake if we did IMO

A friendly note for Beast - Dan Hodges was right, 100% right all along!

Genuine question: The ballot boxes for Ballsup's constituency turned up around midnight last night, and it took until about an hour ago to count them, yet a recount is only going to take 30 mins?

Corrected. At least that is what they promised.....

I'd imagine it's because they're already sorted into piles, which will speed things up no end.

So, down here the Tory newboy from the working class background won easily - as expected.   And in my Scottish seat, we now have a former banker who fell out with Salmond  

It could be that the majority is in the tens.

But they may be in the wrong piles, hence the check. 

Urgh!

Just a general comment. Labour failed under Miliband as Dan Hodges always said they would - clearly England will not elect a party to Government which is anti-business and lacks a coherent platform. Miliband went into the election with a load of vacuous waffle and a few populist left wing policies, so defeat is very much on his head. Miliband will be gone before long.

Getting rid of Miliband is only the start of Labour's reassessment however and the whole UK picture comes into play.

We now have a genuine and deep divide between England, which remains broadly capitalist in outlook, and the Celtic fringes which are broadly socialist in outlook. How the UK holds together is clearly one issue and it will be a hard job for Cameron to hold it together, but for Labour the problem is stark - they can only win England as a Blairite, centre party and they can only win in their former Celtic heartlands as a socialist party.

Balls has lost by 300 votes. Every cloud...