Cameron commits to EU membership referendum in victory speech

David Cameron has promised the UK “we are on the brink of something special” as he returned to Downing Street as a Prime Minister with a Tory Commons majority for the first time.

The Prime Minister vowed to deliver his entire manifesto, including an in-out referendum on Britain's membership of the EU, now he had a majority government.

The premier saw his seat tally tick over the all important mark of 326, an absolute majority, while he was at Buckingham Palace with the Queen.

He paid tribute to Nick Clegg’s work as Deputy Prime Minister and welcomed Ed Miliband’s “typically gracious” concession call earlier today.

Standing in Downing Street in front of the famous black door, Mr Cameron said: “We can make Britain a place where a good life is in reach for everyone who is willing to work and do the right thing.”

He said: “As we conduct this vital work we must ensure we bring our country together.

“As I said in the small hours of this morning, 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, from east to west.

“And indeed it means rebalancing our economy, building that northern powerhouse. It means giving everyone in our country a chance so no matter where you are from you have the opportunity to make the most of your life.”

Ed Miliband quit as Labour leader after his hopes of entering No 10 were shattered in a dramatic night which saw David Cameron claim the scalps of his three main rivals.

Minutes before Mr Cameron went to Buckingham Palace, Mr Miliband told his supporters he was “truly sorry” he had been unable to lead them to victory.

“Britain needs a Labour Party that can rebuild after this defeat so that we can have a government that stands up for working people again,” he said.

His announcement came after Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg and Ukip’s Nigel Farage announced they were standing down in the wake of one of the biggest general election shocks since the Second World War.

Mr Miliband’s departure became inevitable after a night in which Labour was blown away north of the border by the Scottish Nationalists while failing to take any seats from the Conservatives.

Shadow chancellor Ed Balls, shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander and Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy were among the high profile victims in a result which has shaken the party to its core.

Mr Clegg also had little choice but to quit after the Lib Dems’ tally of MPs was reduced from 56 to a rump of just eight, with Business Secretary Vince Cable, Treasury Chief Secretary Danny Alexander, and Energy Secretary Ed Davey among the fallers.

While Mr Clegg acknowledged that the Lib Dems had paid the price for five years in coalition with the Tories, he said the history books would judge their time in government “kindly”.

And he warned that the UK was at a “very perilous point” where the politics of grievance and fear risked driving the country apart.

“It is no exaggeration to say that, in the absence of strong and statesmanlike leadership, Britain’s place in Europe and the world and the continued existence of our United Kingdom itself is now in grave jeopardy,” he said.