Don’t worry if you couldn’t make it through the night – here’s the story of the 2015 General Election including all the key details you need to know…
The exit poll signalled bad news for Labour and the Liberal Democrats…
#GE2015 exit poll forecasts that Conservatives are the largest party. More details here: http://t.co/RIKZ0pqFNN pic.twitter.com/180PYx6XEY
— Sky News (@SkyNews) May 7, 2015
But Paddy Ashdown remained defiant on BBC News…
https://twitter.com/paddys_hat/status/596424575497445377
The first seat to be announced was Houghton and Sunderland South, giving Labour a narrow lead…
1-0 lads, park the bus.
— Jack Pitt-Brooke (@JackPittBrooke) May 7, 2015
Although that joke soon grew old…
2-0 to Labour. "It's a dangerous lead to have Clive"
— selectabet (@selectabet) May 7, 2015
All eyes turned to Nuneaton and Labour’s bid to take a Tory constituency…
Nuneaton the kind of seat Labour had to be moving to take if the were to have a good night
— Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) May 8, 2015
But things didn’t exactly go to plan…
Tories in fact INCREASE their share in Nuneaton
— Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) May 8, 2015
And Scotland weren’t very happy with Labour either…
Other hugely important stories: wipe out of Labour in Scotland, triumph of SNP, will be seen as putting Scottish independence back on agenda
— Robert Peston (@Peston) May 7, 2015
Who'd have thought it: the Tories have as many seats in Scotland as Labour
— Tim Montgomerie 🇬🇧 (@montie) May 8, 2015
Despite Nicola Sturgeon’s caution at the exit poll, there was huge success for the SNP, with 20-year-old student Mhairi Black becoming the youngest MP since 1667.
I'd treat the exit poll with HUGE caution. I'm hoping for a good night but I think 58 seats is unlikely! #GE15
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) May 7, 2015
Mhairi Black and Douglas Alexander, there, in what we reckon may be the most awkward picture of the night so far. pic.twitter.com/93DJ8JA5o8
— Metro (@MetroUK) May 8, 2015
Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy was another casualty on a terrible night for the party, losing his East Renfrewshire seat to the SNP…
Very dignified and classy speech by Jim Murphy. "The party that has fought for the underdog now finds itself the underdog" #GE2015
— Ian Katz (@iankatz1000) May 8, 2015
While it was also punishing news for the Lib Dems, with Nick Clegg tipped to resign as party leader…
Clegg on "a cruel and punishing night for the Liberal Democrats” Clear hint he will step down today
— Paul Waugh (@paulwaugh) May 8, 2015
Elsewhere, Nigel Farage was on the brink of losing his Thanet South seat to the Conservatives, sarcastically thanking the editors at The Sun and the Daily Mail…
SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon extended another olive branch to Ed Miliband in the middle of the night…
Sturgeon in Glasgow: "We would still 'lock out the Tories,'" adding her party and Labour should work together to do it. #GE2015
— Catriona Stewart (@LadyCatHT) May 8, 2015
But Labour had other pressing worries, with rumours that Ed Balls could be ousted in Leeds…
Ed Balls is sounding as convincing as John Carver.
— Nick Harris (@sportingintel) May 7, 2015
Vince Cable was ditched for the Conservatives in Twickenham, blaming a ‘fear campaign’ for a dreadful night…
Could be bad news for the #LibDems Commons' football team…
— Peter Franklin 🌳 (@peterfranklin_) May 7, 2015
While former Conservative Douglas Carswell won Ukip’s first seat and George Galloway lost in Bradford…
https://twitter.com/helenpidd/status/596542163233722368
Ed Miliband held on to his seat in Doncaster, but that’s about all he had going for him…
Having essentially conceded the election, Ed then congratulated this man with a giant hat. #GE2015 pic.twitter.com/bURmTxf38A
— Alan White (@aljwhite) May 8, 2015
And David Cameron was also re-elected in Witney, with the Conservatives forecast to come close to a majority…
Here's to a brighter future for everyone. pic.twitter.com/EeN0YFAvBm
— David Cameron (@David_Cameron) May 8, 2015
And this is where things stood at 7am on Friday morning…
The #GE2015 election result: Maggie Simpson (via @serialsockthief) pic.twitter.com/ZG0FPV3IcF
— Trushar Barot (@Trushar) May 8, 2015
