Tories win UK election

David Cameron’s party have won the 2015 general election with a parliamentary majority.

In his first address as prime minister of a majority Tory government, Cameron pledged to “bring together the different nations of our United Kingdom.” The Tories have also promised a referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU by 2017.

The top three cabinet posts – Chancellor, Home Secretary, Foreign Secretary – will be announced later today.

Labour leader Ed Miliband has resigned after the party won just 232 seats. Comedian Russell Brand initially backed Miliband but just four days later has distanced himself from this decision stating: “I think for a moment I got caught up in some mad ‘The Thick of It’ moment.”

Labour shadow chancellor Ed Balls and shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander both lost their seats, the latter to 20-year-old Glasgow University student Mhairi Black of the SNP, the youngest MP Westminster has seen for decades.

Deputy leader Harriet Harman has said she will stand down following the election of a new leader and deputy leader.

Deputy prime minister in the coalition government and leader of the Liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg, held onto his seat but has also resigned after his party suffered a catastrophic defeat. The Lib Dems lost more than 57 of the party’s seats, which Clegg described as “immeasurably more crushing” than he feared.

Scotland’s SNP party won 56 out of 59 seats, up from 6 seats in the last election and wiped Labour out of Scotland. Plaid Cymru held onto its three seats whilst Caroline Lucas of the Green Party held onto her Brighton Pavilion seat.

UKIP leader Nigel Farage has also resigned after he lost Thanet South to the Conservatives, whilst UKIP’s Douglas Carswell won the Clacton seat.

Leader of the Respect Party and its only MP George Galloway lost his seat to Labour in Bradford West.

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