I wanttothankthepeopleofthiscountryforturningouttovotein a Decemberelectionthatwedidn't wanttocall, butwhich I thinkhasturnedouttobe a historicelectionthatgivesusnowinthisnewgovernmentthechancetorespectthedemocraticwilloftheBritishpeople.
Thisisobviously a verydisappointingnightfortheLabourPartywiththeresultthatwe'vegot.
But I wanttosaythisintheelectioncampaign, weputforward a manifestooffhope, a manifestooffunityon a manifestothatwouldhelptorightthewrongsandtheinjusticesandinequalitiesthatexistinthiscountry.
I wanttoalsomakeitclearthat I willnotleadthepartyinanyfuturegeneralelectioncampaign.
I willdiscusswithourpartytoensurethereis a processnowoffreflectiononthisresult.
Andi, onthepoliciesthatthepartywilltakegoingforwardand I willleadthepartyduringthatperiodtoensurethatdiscussiontakesplaceonwemoveonintothefuture.
I stillbelievethatweas a countrycanbewarmandgenerous, inclusiveandopen, andthatbyworkingtogetherwithournearestneighbours, wecanachievesomuchmore.
I wanttothankthepeopleofthiscountryforturningouttovotein a Decemberelectionthatwedidn't wanttocall, butwhich I thinkhasturnedouttobe a historicelectionthatgivesusnowinthisnewgovernmentthechancetorespectthedemocraticwilloftheBritishpeople.