Cameron’s party wins majority in UK elections, defying polls

JUDY WOODRUFF:

The United Kingdom woke up on this day after national elections to find the same political party in charge, but with a message from voters that will take some sorting out.

In the end, it was a trouncing by the Tories, as Prime Minister David Cameron and his Conservative Party won an outright majority in Parliament. He will return to Number 10 Downing Street for another five-year term after a bruising campaign.

DAVID CAMERON, Prime Minister, United Kingdom:

We must ensure that 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.

JUDY WOODRUFF:

Pre-election public polls had forecast a tight race with the Labor Party. Instead, Labor, led by Ed Miliband, was blown out. And Nick Clegg's Liberal Democrats took crushing losses, dropping 49 seats. Both party chiefs resigned their leadership posts this morning.

So, in this new Parliament, of the 650 seats, Conservatives will hold 331, Labor 232 seats, the Scottish National Party will have 56, and the Liberal Democrats just eight. Besides the Conservatives, the other big winner was the Scottish National Party. It swept virtually every race in Scotland, all but ending Labor's longtime dominance there.