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Breakthrough in the North | Tide turns in Wales | Mixed night for Lib Dems | Red Box blog | Analysis | Graphic: the election battlegrounds
The Conservatives made sweeping gains across the country early today as voters gave Gordon Brown a huge rebuff in his first electoral test as Prime Minister.
David Cameron chalked up important successes in the North, the Midlands and the South, securing his top target of Bury in Greater Manchester and taking control of Nuneaton and Bedworth, and Southampton.
The Conservatives also took seats in Labour strongholds of Sunderland and Wigan.
Labour suffered one of its worst electoral humiliations, with its national share of the vote dropping to 24 or 25 per cent. The Tory share was projected at 43 or 44 per cent, better than its most optimistic predictions.
The margin was similar to the drubbing handed out to John Major in 1995 two years before Tony Blair entered Downing Street.
But it was also a mixed night for Liberal Democrats, projected to take only 25 per cent of the vote in Nick Clegg’s first elections in charge.
The Tories were heading for total gains of more than 200 seats and Labour’s losses were of a similar order.
The results will put further pressure on Mr Brown’s leadership after a dismal few months. His decision to abolish the 10p starting rate of tax was a substantial factor in Labour’s reverses.
The only possible consolation for Mr Brown was that Ken Livingstone seemed to have fared better than the polls had suggested. The main parties refused to call the London mayoral result after indications of a high turnout in the inner boroughs, which were expected to be more favourable to Mr Livingstone.
Tony Lloyd, chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party, said: “This is a very difficult night. It means Gordon Brown has got to listen.”
The result added up to Labour's worst electoral drubbing for 40 years with voters punishing Mr Brown for the 10p tax debacle and growing insecurity over the economy.
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This goverment are like the blind leading the blind, they don't have one politician in touch with the countries needs, if its not taxed yet it'll be taxed before the end of term, and why, to give the next goverment a bad start.
Look at what you're doing Mr Brown and put it right now!!!!
KEN S, SEDGEFIELD, DURHAM
My great fear is that Brown will now tax, borrow and spend in an attempt to win back voters.
As a chancellor he is not great; he did not see the results of his profligacy, did not save when he could and spent the UKs reserves. But then he has never held a REAL job, only history
M. Cawdery, Portadown, Co. UK, EU.
Gordon Brown has been like a credit card junkie, spend, spend spend over the last 11 years, far too much of it wasted. Now he can't pay the bill and he's left with a massive budget deficit. How can that be prudent?! The man's got to go.
Nick, London,
Politicians have lost sight of the fact that in this era of "political correctness" everyones hands are tied. Now families are discriminated against, & children can't be disciplined, teenagers get high on drink and drugs and society is powerless. Respect & Responsibility required.
Sya Simpson, Edinburgh, UK
At least tony blair had carisma .brown spent years being anti english now he is trying to be all nicey nicey. it doesnt ring true
charlie, chelmsford, essex
labour lost because he did away with the 10p tax band. Taxing the poorest workers and reducing tax on the rich. I would never have expected tghis of a labour government. The labour party needs to ditch Brown quickly or the conservatives will win the nrxt election.
David Kemp, Bolon,
Politicians need to determine and remedy the fact that only about 35% of registered voters even bothered to cast a vote.
Disgust, disenfranchisement, apathy, ignorance, whatever the reason - it must be addressed if we are to have a real democracy.
Consider proportional representation??
R Bingham, Lauzun, France
Labour lost because of what they've done over the last 10 years, not because of what David has done in the last few months!!
Bilderberg invited Cameron's right hand man to the conference back in June 2007, I predict that they will win the next national ellection due to this!!!!!!
Andy T, England, UK,
gordon says he's listening, but the message is that we want an election. so what exactly is he listening to? not us, for sure.
the tories don't offer much beyond not being labour, but an election would either establish brown properly or get rid of him. 2 years of lameduckedness in no good.
jem, london, uk
I reckon Alex Slamond should run the UK
roger, arundel , UK
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