Deputy PM Nick Clegg resigns, as Liberal Democrats decimated in election

Published time: May 08, 2015 10:45 Britain's Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg (Reuters/Andrew Yates)

Nick Clegg, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, has resigned, after his party suffered “catastrophic losses” in the UK General Election.

“I always expected this election to be exceptionally difficult,” said Clegg.

“Clearly the results have been immeasurably more crushing and cruel.”

In his heartfelt resignation speech on Friday before noon, Clegg said “fear and grievance” had won, while Liberalism had lost.

He says responsibility for the Lib Dem collapse is his, calling it the price paid for making the decision to go into government with the Conservatives.

"This is a very dark hour for our party but we cannot and will not allow decent liberal values to be extinguished overnight."

"Our party will come back," he said. It will take resilience, but this is what his party was built on, he said.

He said he must take responsibility for the Lib Dem's loss, and thanked his colleagues for their hard and diligent work in recent years. He called his fellow Liberal Democrats members a “family” and added, “It is simply heart-breaking to see so many colleagues and friends lose their seats.”

He reportedly left the room in tears after delivering his resignation speech.

Nick Clegg is the second party leader to resign, after Nigel Farage of UKIP has resigned shortly before him. Ed Miliband is also expected to stand down.

People have taken to Twitter to share their thoughts on his resignation. Overall, comments about him are quite positive, calling him a "gracious" leader and that he put his country before his own interests.

Dat awkward moment when #Clegg remembered to be inspirational about the importance of liberalism a tad bit too late. #GE02015

— The Greek Analyst (@GreekAnalyst) May 8, 2015

Long a Clegg fan. Still am. Intelligent, thoughtful, decent. Impossible situation for him, made mistakes but fewer than most others wd have.

— Stephen Tall (@stephentall) May 8, 2015

Huge respect for @nick_clegg and the #LibDems - put country before narrow party interest

— Louise Mensch (@LouiseMensch) May 8, 2015

Clegg getting a standing ovation, for nearly wiping out his Party. How wonderfully British.

— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) May 8, 2015

I hope history judges @nick_clegg's coalition years positively. Mistakes were made but he did what he had to with the cards dealt #ge2015

— ?St? ? (@thew00d) May 8, 2015

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Ed Miliband resigns as Labour Party leader after general election defeat

Published time: May 08, 2015 08:43
Edited time: May 08, 2015 12:23 Britain's opposition Labour Party leader Ed Miliband. (Reuters/Darren Staples)

Ed Miliband has stood down as Labour Party leader after his party suffered a crushing defeat in the UK General Election, accepting “full responsibility” for his party’s defeat.
In an emotionally-charged address, interspersed with repeated applause from supporters, he lauded what he termed the most “united, cohesive, enjoyable campaign I’ve ever been involved in.”
He reserved particular thanks for “all those people who’ve pounded the streets” for the party.
“Britain,” he argued, “needs a strong Labour Party,” and that it was “time for someone else to take leadership of the party.”
READ MORE: UK General Election 2015 LIVE UPDATES
He praised his deputy Harriet Harman, saying she would take over while that “open, honest debate” took place.
To those he met during the campaign, he said: “Thank you for sharing your stories with me ... thank you for the selfies, and the most unlikely cult of the 21st century… Milifandom!”

DID ED MILIBAND SERIOUSLY THANK THE MILIFANDOM WHAT A BAE

— nina (@caramellester) May 8, 2015
“While we may have lost the election, the argument of our campaign will not go away,” he said.
To his party he said: “I am truly sorry I did not succeed.”
“Thank you for the privilege, I joined this party aged 17, I never dreamed I would lead it … it will be a force for change again.”
“Pick yourself up and continue the fight. We’ve come back before and we’ll come back again.”
“When we see injustice, we must tackle it,” he said.

I'm very sad about Ed Miliband resigning. There goes a politician who genuinely cared about young people and actively tried to involve us

— izzie (@_is4belle) May 8, 2015
“It is people that make change happen, I will never give up on that cause. I will never give up fighting for the Britain I believe in. I will always be there in that cause with all of you.”
In light of Labour’s abysmal performance in Scotland, and amid rumors of another Scottish independence referendum, he reiterated his commitment to the Union.
“I believe in our United Kingdom, because it is the best way of serving our country,” Miliband said. “All of us in the months ahead must rise to the challenge of keeping our country together.”
Despite Miliband’s expression of confidence in his deputy, it took Harriet Harman little over an hour to announce that she would also be stepping down once a new leader is elected by the party membership.

This has clearly been a very disappointing and difficult night for the Labour party. To every member and supporter, I want to say thank you.

— Ed Miliband (@Ed_Miliband) May 8, 2015
Labour suffered a humiliating defeat in Scotland, after the SNP won 56 out of 59 contested seats.
Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls is among senior Labour politicians to lose their seat. In a surprise outcome, contrary to pre-election polls, the Conservatives emerged with the largest share of seats. David Cameron is well on his way to securing a majority, while Labour and the Liberal Democrats have suffered humiliating losses.
Projections say Cameron will win 328 seats in total – enough to command a majority in the House of Commons.
Speaking earlier today after winning his Doncaster North seat, Miliband said: “This has clearly been a very disappointing and difficult night for the Labour Party.
“We have not made the gains we wanted in England and Wales, and in Scotland we have seen a surge of nationalism overwhelm our party,” s
aid Miliband, after comfortably securing his own seat with an increased majority.

Defeats are hard, but we’re a party that will never stop fighting for the working people of this country.

— Ed Miliband (@Ed_Miliband) May 8, 2015
“I want to say to all the dedicated and decent colleagues in Scotland who have lost their seats that I am deeply sorry for what has happened.
“And I also want to say that the next government has a huge responsibility. It has a huge responsibility in facing the very difficult task of keeping our country together.”
“Whatever party we come from, if we believe in the United Kingdom we should stand up for people in every part of our United Kingdom because I believe that what unites us is much, much more than what divides us.”
In the early hours after the poll results came in, some Labour Party members had said it wasn’t the time to replace Miliband and that the blame for Labour’s defeat, most notably in Scotland, couldn’t be pinned on him alone.

.@Ed_Miliband: To every Labour member and supporter, I want to say thank you https://t.co/3tq2wjOtMi

— The Labour Party (@UKLabour) May 8, 2015
Labour will now face a leadership contest, with Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham, Shadow Justice Minister Dan Jarvis, Shadow Care Minister Liz Kendall and Shadow Business Secretary Chuka Umunna considered potential successors.
The Liberal Democrats under Nick Clegg have been decimated in the election. Clegg called it a “cruel and punishing night”
for his party.

I am grateful to the people who worked on our campaign and for the campaign they ran. The responsibility for the result is mine alone.

— Ed Miliband (@Ed_Miliband) May 8, 2015

The next government has a huge responsibility to bring our country together. What unites us is much, much more than what divides us.

— Ed Miliband (@Ed_Miliband) May 8, 2015

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