David Cameron’s Conservatives clinch majority in UK polls

David Cameron's Conservative Party swept back to power in the UK winning 330 of the 650 seats in the House of Commons after the counting of votes was over. The Tories defied forecasts of a hung parliament, gaining votes in England and Wales.

After a meeting with Queen Elizabeth II in the afternoon, Cameron returned to his office to announce he would form a majority Conservative government.

He signalled a conciliatory tone and even congratulated leader of  his former coalition partner, Liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg, and opposition Labour Party leader Ed Miliband.

''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.

Cameron promised to govern as the party of ''one nation, one United Kingdom,'' bringing the election to a much-quicker-than-expected conclusion.

BBC had forecast the Conservatives to secure 331 seats in the Commons, giving them a clear, but slender majority.

The opposition Labour Party managed to secure 232 seats, even as reports said Labour leader Ed Miliband stepped down as leader of the opposition after Labour was all but wiped out by the Scotiish Nationalist Party (SNP) in Scotland. Labour's shadow chancellor Ed Balls lost to the Conservatives.

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg also resigned as party leader after disappointing election results. The Liberal Democrats were reduced from 57 to eight MPs. The party sustained heavy losses across the board, including business secretary Vince Cable and education minister David Laws. Party leader Nick Clegg, however, held his Sheffield Hallam seat.

The SNP ousted Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy in a landslide general election victory in Scotland, winning 56 seats. Labour's Douglas Alexander, and Lib Dems Danny Alexander and Charles Kennedy also lost to the SNP.

"This is clearly a very strong night for the Conservative Party. We've had a positive response to a positive campaign," said Conservative leader David Cameron.

Labour leader Ed Miliband said, "This has clearly been a very difficult and disappointing night for the Labour Party."

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said, "It is now painfully clear this has been a cruel and punishing night for the Liberal Democrats. The election has profound implications for the country and for the Liberal Democrats"

UKIP leader Nigel Farage called for "real, genuine, radical reform" and said that on a personal level, he felt "like an enormous weight has been lifted from my shoulders".

SNP's Alex Salmond said, "There's going to be a lion roaring tonight, a Scottish lion, and it's going to roar with a voice that no government of whatever political complexion is going to be able to ignore"

Green Party leader Natalie Bennett said, "I am immensely proud to have led the party into a general election where we have been able to stand more Green candidates than ever before and saved a record number of deposits."