The country is safe

2005-05-06T11:15:00.000-07:00

Today is the morning after the election and my seat, like the country, is safe.

I did lose a sliver of majority, but compared with many of our seats across the country it was a magnificent result. I even enjoyed a 1.8% swing from the second-place SNP.

Not such good news across the rest of the country though. Peter Soulsby did well to take Leicester South this morning, but we have yet to gain any other seats. There have been heavy losses, with seats going especially, and in higher numbers than we privately anticipated, to the Tories.

You'll see reshuffle rumours abounding in the press today, as attention shifts away from a sadly predictable election result. One story that is no longer just a rumour, Alan Milburn finally announced last night that he'll be leaving the cabinet. I must confess to a small grin at that. I can't help feel that if he'd made this decision before trying to run the election campaign we might have lost a few fewer seats. Nevertheless, I'm sure everyone wishes him every happiness.

Several papers are running predictions, all pretty obvious. Everyone knows John Prescott has big ambitions, and David Blunkett has made no secret of trying to prove his worth recently. Do keep an eye on Hazel Blears too.

Today's headlines

2005-05-06T10:32:00.000-07:00

Some of today's headlines are quite eye-catching.

The Sun, subtle as ever, lead with
Kicked in the ballots

The Telegraph pleads
Howard must stay in post

The Mail asks what everyone else is thinking
How long can Blair cling to power?

And even more directly from Polly Toynbee at the Guardian:
This shrunken majority is Blair's fault. He must go

Never a Frown

The country is safe

Today's headlines