Blair: 'We have new mandate'
Updated on 06 May 2005
A triumphant Tony Blair hailed the party's "amazing job" in securing a historic third term of government.
Blair said he had got a mandate from the people.
Arriving back in London after the party's poll victory, Mr Blair said: "We can be very proud of what we have achieved and very determined and committed about what we can achieve now.
"We have got a mandate to govern this country again. Yes, there are good comrades that have fallen. But there are also extraordinary results that have come through tonight."
He warned: "We have got to listen to the people and respond wisely and sensibly.
"But they have made it very clear they want to carry on with Labour and not go back to the Tory years."
Mr Blair was greeted with chants of: "Four more years" from party supporters and activists at the National Portrait Gallery as they gathered to celebrate their win.
Mr Blair and his wife, Cherie, were greeted with cheers and applause. He smiled and shook hands with friends and colleagues before thanking them for the "amazing job" they had done in winning power again.
Praising the "dedicated, fantastic, wonderful" work done by party staff and officials, Mr Blair singled out Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, Chancellor Gordon Brown and election co-ordinator Alan Milburn for specific praise.
He acknowledged it had been a "tough and hard" battle to secure Labour's victory over the Tories.
Mr Blair said Labour had learnt lessons during its 18 years in opposition.
"During those 18 years we learnt the value of taking tough decisions and we also learnt the value of working together and realising that nothing was more
important than to put our principles into power.
"I think we can be proud of what we have achieved in these past eight years, but I tell you we can achieve so much more in the next four years if we put our
minds to it," he added to loud applause.
Blair said he had got a mandate from the people.
So a Labour victory, but one with a sour aftertaste.
A humble Tony Blair in Downing Street said he now had a very clear idea of what the British people now expect: "I have listened, and learned", he said: several times using the rather strange phrase 'I - we - the Government'.
It was as if acutely aware of his own personal role in Labour's fortunes, and the need for a more collective leadership in future.
But though there were Conservative gains - it was nowhere near enough - and their share of the vote stayed flat.
There were huge swings to the Liberal Democrats from Labour - but it was inconsistent, giving them few actual seats and ended up helping the Tories.
Perhaps it is all exactly what voters wanted - whatever that is. And that's what we - and all ther parties are still trying to work out.
Let's start by looking at how the parties fared in terms of the national share of the vote.
The latest figures put Labour on just over 36 per cent - the lowest ever for an election-winning party, the Conservatives just over 33 per cent, the Liberal Democrats almost 23 per cent and other parties 8 per cent.
Compared with the 2001 election, Labour is down by six per cent, the Conservatives are up, but by just a half of one per cent, the Liberal Democrats are up by almost four per cent and other parties are up by one and a half per cent.
With 24 results still to come, Labour has so far made a net loss of 45 seats, including three former Ministers.
The Tories have picked up most of those, making a net gain of 37 - although they lost their Shadow Education Secretary - Tim Collins beaten by the Liberal Democrats.
The Liberal Democrats have a net gain of nine seats so far and - despite the odd high-profile success, like George Galloway in Bethnal Green and Bow - altogether the 'other' parties are so far making a net loss of one seat.
So what will all that mean for the new House of Commons? Labour, of course, still on the government benches, with an expected 356 seats. The Conservatives are likely to finish with 198 seats, the Lib Dems with 62 seats and the other parties, including the Nationalists and the Northern Ireland MPs, 30 seats.
And that means an expected Labour majority over all other parties of 66 seats.
