Conservatives win surprise majority

The Conservatives have won an overall majority in the general election, confounding opinion polls that had predicted a hung parliament.

David Cameron returned to Downing Street on 8 May as Prime Minister of the first Conservative majority government since 1992.

The result

The Conservatives won 331 of the 650 seats, a majority of 12. Labour won 232 seats, losing ground across the country. The Scottish National Party won 56 of Scotland's 59 seats, almost wiping out Labour in Scotland.

The Liberal Democrats, who have been in coalition with the Conservatives since 2010, were reduced from 57 seats to 8.

UKIP won almost four million votes but only one seat.

Leaders resign

Three party leaders resigned within hours of the results. The Labour leader, Ed Miliband, and the Liberal Democrat leader, Nick Clegg, both stepped down, as did UKIP's Nigel Farage, who failed to win in South Thanet.

The polls got it wrong

Opinion polls during the campaign had shown the Conservatives and Labour neck and neck. The exit poll published as voting ended was the first sign that the Conservatives had done much better than expected.

The British Polling Council has announced an inquiry into why the polls were so inaccurate.

Promises to keep

The Conservatives promised in their manifesto to hold a referendum on Britain's membership of the European Union by the end of 2017. Cameron has confirmed that it will go ahead.

The government will also continue its programme of spending cuts, aiming to eliminate the budget deficit.

Scotland

The SNP's landslide in Scotland, less than a year after Scots voted to stay in the United Kingdom, is likely to reopen the debate about independence. The party's leader, Nicola Sturgeon, said Scotland had voted for change.

Birmingham

In Birmingham, Labour held all its seats and gained Yardley from the Liberal Democrats, where Jess Phillips defeated John Hemming.

What next

Cameron said he wanted to govern for one nation and bring the country together. Labour will now choose a new leader.