Robin Cook says "none of us imagined" a landslide on this scale and the onus is now on Labour to repay voters' trust.

He says the result reflects Blair's leadership, an election fought on issues including health and education, and disaffection with the Conservatives.

Supported by computer graphics of politicians on podiums, Peter Snow talks us through the shifts in voting patterns over the last 18 years.

Since 1979, the Conservatives have returned a majority:

• 1979 - 44
• 1983 - 144
• 1987 - 102
• 1992 - 21

But it's all change. Tonight, the Labour Party have a projected 187 majority – that's bigger than any other majority since World War II.

The prime minister retains his Huntingdon seat, and gives a speech in which he acknowledges Labour has had "a successful night".

He vows to be part of a "vigorous opposition" and "listen to the voice of the electorate".

Ben Bradshaw, later culture secretary, takes Exeter for Labour, following a campaign in which the Conservative candidate attacked his homosexuality.

He says voters have "rejected fear and chosen hope, rejected bigotry and chosen reason and for that I want to thank them".

Labour pass the 330 seat mark, meaning victory is assured.

David Dimbleby asks Education Secretary Gillian Shephard if she could lose her seat. She answers: "Who could say?"

Asked what went wrong for her party, she replies that "squabbling amongst ourselves has not endeared ourselves to the electorate" and has made the Conservatives seem too concerned with internal politics.

Here's the moment we found out defence secretary and Conservative leadership hopeful Michael Portillo had lost his Enfield Southgate seat to Labour newcomer Stephen Twigg on a swing of 17.5%.

"The Portillo moment" has now entered the political lexicon to denote a big upset on election night.

This looks set to be the biggest cull of ministers of the 20th Century.

In 1945, Conservatives lost five members of the Cabinet, including Harold Macmillan.

Of all the Conservative ministers standing in 1997, two thirds are likely to lose their seats.

The foreign secretary, Malcolm Rifkind, loses his seat to Labour's candidate Lynda Clark.

The Conservatives went on to lose every single one of their seats in Scotland and Wales.

Tatton declaration now: Independent Martin Bell contested the seat after sitting Conservative MP Neil Hamilton was implicated in the cash-for-questions affair.

Mr Bell says the victory will shine a light into the corners of Parliament - and he says he will not take the whip and will serve for one term only.

Familiar faces from politics today cropping up throughout this re-run of the 1997 election.

Here's Barry Gardiner, now on Labour's frontbench, elected to Brent North. He defeated veteran Conservative MP Rhodes Boyson, external.

Tony Blair makes another speech from Sedgefield, where he says he wants to "bring our country together and see that no one is left out".

"That is the message the country has heard and celebrated," he continues, pledging to represent "people from all sections of society".

In 1955, Anthony Eden and the Conservatives won half of all seats in Wales.

Peter Snow tells us that no Tory seats are projected in 1997's results.

We've heard for the first time that Michael Portillo is set to lose his seat - he was seen as a frontrunner to succeed John Major as leader.

Robin Oakley describes it as "a blow for the right of the party" and suggests it may help the chances of 36-year-old William Hague.