David Cameron has pledged to create a “brighter future for everyone” as he hailed a stunning Tory poll performance.
With his party on track to secure a surprise overall majority, the Prime Minister said he would form a “One Nation” government.
In a victory speech at the count for his safe Witney seat, Mr Cameron started with a jibe at pollsters who had consistently showed the Conservatives deadlocked with Labour.
“Some people say … that there is only one opinion poll that counts, and that is on election day,” Mr Cameron said. “I do not think that has ever been truer than it is today and tonight.
“This is clearly a very strong night for the Conservative Party. I think we have had a positive response to a positive campaign about safeguarding our economy and creating jobs. About the record of government over the past five years, but above all a plan for the next five years, based on clear values, wanting to reward work in our country, for those who do their best to find the system on their side.
“As I put in on the steps of Downing Street five years ago, those who can should, those who cannot we should help.”
Mr Cameron went on: “It is too early to say exactly what sort of a government there will be at the end of this nigh on endless election campaign.
“But to me this election campaign was always about the difficult decisions we have made over the last five years, the foundation of a stronger economy that we have built for our country, and the chance now to build on that foundation and say to people if you want that job, if you want that apprenticeship, if you want the home that you can own, if you want security and dignity in retirement, we are on your side and want to deliver for you.
“Also we should never in politics duck the big issues, whether it is dealing with our deficit, whether it is holding that referendum that you were right to want on the future of Scotland our United Kingdom, or indeed in the future that referendum that we must hold on our future in Europe.
“My view remains simple, to govern on the basis of governing for everyone in our United Kingdom. I want to make sure that our economic recovery reaches every part of our country, I want to make sure that as our economy grows that the poorest in our country can benefit from that work and have the chance of work and a stronger future.
“I want to make sure there are good schools for all our children, no matter where they live and what their background.
“Above all I want to bring our country together, our United Kingdom together, not least by implementing as fast as we can devolution that we rightly promised with other parties both for Wales and for Scotland.
“In short I would like my party, and I hope the government I would like to lead, to reclaim the mantle that we should never have lost. The mantle of One Nation, one United Kingdom, that is how I will govern if I am fortunate enough to form a government in the coming days.”
Shortly afterwards, as he travelled back to Conservative HQ to watch the last results come in, Mr Cameron also tweeted a picture of himself kissing wife Samantha. “Here’s to a brighter future for everyone,” he wrote.