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David Cameron has promised to lead a government for “one nation” and make “Great Britain greater” as he returned to Downing Street as prime minister.
Speaking outside No 10 after visiting Buckingham Palace, he said the UK was “on the brink of something special”.
The Conservatives have 331 seats – five more than needed for a Commons majority – their first such victory since 1992.
Mr Cameron’s rivals Ed Miliband, Nick Clegg and Nigel Farage have all resigned after election disappointment.
The Conservative leader is now beginning the process of putting together the new government, which will have a parliamentary majority of 12. George Osborne has been reappointed as chancellor, and will also be first secretary of state, giving him seniority over other cabinet ministers.
The three party leaders appeared together for the last time at the VE Day commemorations
Mr Cameron said he would reach out to all parts of the UK and strive to “bring the country together” in the wake of the SNP’s election landslide in Scotland – where it won 56 of the 59 seats.
In other election developments:
- With all 650 seats declared, the Conservatives have ended up with 331 seats in the House of Commons, 24 more than in 2010. Labour have 232, the Lib Dems 8, the SNP 56, Plaid Cymru 3, UKIP 1, the Greens 1 and others 19.
- The Conservatives get a 36.9% share of the UK national vote, Labour 30.4%, UKIP 12.6%, the Lib Dems 7.9%, the SNP 4.7%, the Green Party 3.8% and Plaid Cymru 0.6%.
- Ed Miliband steps down after a “difficult and disappointing” night for Labour which saw Ed Balls lose and Jim Murphy and Douglas Alexander defeated by the SNP
- Nick Clegg said he would quit as leader after a “crushing” set of losses, which saw Vince Cable, Danny Alexander, David Laws, Simon Hughes and Charles Kennedy among a slew of Lib Dem casualties
- Nigel Farage has quit as UKIP leader after failing to be elected – although he may stand in the ensuing leadership contest. He has recommended Suzanne Evans take over as interim leader
- George Galloway, who was reported to the police for retweeting an exit poll before voting ended, has lost to Labour in Bradford West
- Conservative minister Esther McVey was the highest-profile Tory loser, defeated by Labour in Wirral West as Boris Johnson returned to the Commons
- The Green Party gets one seat after Caroline Lucas retains the Brighton Pavilion constituency she won in 2010
- Turnout is set to be 66%, marginally up on 2010 and the highest since 1997
- An inquiry is to be held into the mismatch between opinion polls during the campaign and the actual result
The Conservatives’ victory means they will be able to govern without the need for a coalition or a formal agreement with other parties.
Mr Cameron said he had spoken to both Mr Miliband and Mr Clegg, paying tribute to the latter’s contribution to the coalition government over the past five years.
Speaking in Downing Street, he said: “We will govern as a party of one nation, one United Kingdom.
“That means ensuring this recovery reaches all parts of our country, from north to south, to east to west.”
He said he would press ahead with devolution of powers to all nations as well as referendum on the UK’s EU membership.
“I have always believed in governing with respect,” he said “That’s why in the last parliament we devolved power to Scotland and Wales, and gave the people of Scotland a referendum on whether to stay inside the United Kingdom.
BBC