General  Election - it's been a long night

Back from the Warrington South count now and about to get some sleep.  It really has been an incredible election.  A real disappointment that Nick Bent did not win for Labour in Warrington South after a hard fought campaign from a standing start in January.  Well done to the Warrington South CLP members who put in a lot of hard work.  I hope we get a good result in the council elections here, declared later today.

Congratulations too to my MP, Kate Hoey, for another election win with a strong endorsement from Vauxhall constituents.  Job well done.  Lambeth Council election count begins at 4pm.

There's going to be a lot to think about now after this election.  The party leaders in particular have a lot of thinking and negotiating to do.  The country did not buy into Nick Clegg's change message - though it's not clear why.  Labour remains by far the major progressive force in the country.  The LibDems need to think long and hard about this and how to react.

Normally, the UK's constitution enforces a rapid change of power but on this occasion that is not the case.  The constitutional position is clear - the Prime Minister (ie Gordon Brown) has a duty to try to construct a government that will have the support of the newly elected House of Commons.  All concerned should get a bit of sleep and not rush to decisions.  Meanwhile, government continues.

And meanwhile, I intend to get some sleep myself.