Hammersmith Town Hall, approximately 5:30 am, 7th May 2010
Thank you, Mr Mayor. Can I start off by thanking you, thanking the head of Electoral Services, Steve Miller, and all his staff, all the staff involved in the count here tonight and in the election in both Boroughs, and the police?I also thank my fellow candidates. It was been a good-natured election and I think we have all enjoyed it, and the election was conducted in a good spirit, with plenty of hustings and public engagement. I also thank my agent and all my helpers in both parts of the constituency. Ladies and gentlemen, we have won big in Chelsea and Fulham tonight. 16,722 is a thumping majority! And we, the Conservative Party, have won in the country as well. We are not yet sure of the final result, but it does seem that David Cameron has won a mandate to govern the country. We have gained more seats, and on a bigger swing, than any election since 1931. For Labour, the election has been a disaster, their worst for 80 years. It is time for you, Gordon Brown, to go! And meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats are going nowhere. So a good night here for the Conservatives. We are obviously disappointed not to have won Hammersmith, with our excellent candidate Shaun Bailey, but I praise also our excellent local Council, which has been a trailblaizer under Stephen Greenhalgh and his fine team. We will see how their result is tomorrow, but I am personally very proud of them and their successes. Ladies and gentlemen, it looks like we will have a new government tonight, with a new mandate. A new mandate to sort out our public finances, to cut the deficit, to cap immigration, to reduce unemployment, to equip our armed forces properly, to free up our schools and to say no to the 3rd runway. We will see what this morning brings, but we have won an historic victory across the country, and we look forward to forming a government. Thank you!
(delivered from a set of notes, so may not be exactly as recorded here)