Historic Successive Win For Labour

Prime Minister Tony Blair led the  ruling Labour Party, to a landslidevictory for a historic second term in office. Labour has captured 413 of the 642seats declared so far for the 659-member House of Commons. The Conservativeshave managed to win 166 seats, while the Liberal Democrats won 52.

Turnout is down to about 60 per cent which is the lowest in recent years --but it is a moment of glory for the architect of the New Labour, Tony Blair, whostays PM despite heavy voter apathy.

"For the first time in our 100-year history, we are on the verge of asecond successive term of office. That is an extraordinary thing - it's what wehave always worked for. We can indeed take pride in what we have done during thepast four years, though we have absolute humility for what we have to do. Fiveyears from now it will be a better country than today," Mr Blair said.

"It is indeed a night of history for our party but the one thing that wehave to remember is that now is the time the people of this country want us toserve them, want us to do the things that we promised that we will do and theywant us to be very clear about our mandate here."

The Brits seems to have approved of  Blair's promises including the onefor holding a referendum on adopting the single European currency or the Euro --a key issue during the elections. The Conservatives had opposed the Euro, andthe choice seems to be clear now.

The Labour is down 6 seats from its tally in the 1997 general election, but itis no cause for cheers for Conservatives as those were picked up by the LiberalDemocrats.

William Hague leader of the Conservative Party has resigned taking moralresponsibility for the party's poor electoral showing with cautionary words forBlair:"The voters have given them the benefit of the doubt but the governmentshould understand that a second a successive failure to deliver would breed deepdisillusionment and cynicism not only about the government but about politics ingeneral."This had been the elections with the lowest voter turnout, around 55%, sincesince 1918. In recent years the turnout figures had been over 70 per cent.

Among prominent winners are Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott who wasre-elected from the Hull East constituency with a majority of 15,325 votes andForeign Secretary Robin Cook who returned from the Livingston constituency witha majority of over 10,000 votes.

Blair himself was returned from the Sedgefield constituency with a majorityof 17,713 votes, while Conservative leader Hague was elected in his ownconstituency in Richmond, Yorkshire

Michael Portillo of the Conservative Party retained his Kensington andChelsea seat.

Charles Kennedy, leader of the Liberal Democrats who was re-elected from theDingwall constituency for a record fifth time, said his party has emerged as"the party of the future".Controversial Labour MP Keith Vaz won Leicester East seat with a reducedmajority.

Former Cabinet Minister Peter Mandelsson, who quit from the Blair Cabinet onthe Hinduja passport brouhaha managed to win his Hartlepool seat.

In Birmingham, Gisela Stewart held her Edgbaston seat, becoming the firstLabour MP to retain a marginal constituency.