Pasted below are some memories - in pictures - of last week's electoral breakthrough. Enjoy! Please email us if you have other photographs or screen captures.
The graphic below came from the New Statesman. More than 200 gains, it predicted, and it was champagne territory for the Conservatives. Tory gains ended up being 300+. If Labour lost more than 200 seats, the graphic said, and it was panic time for Labour. Labour lost more than 400 seats.
The London we want to leave behind. This photograph of Stalin wasn't from Soviet Moscow but of socialists celebrating May Day last Thursday in Trafalgar Square.
At 9.59pm on election night ConservativeHome didn't just predict that Boris would win. We 'called it' for Boris.
The Spectator's Tamzin Lightwater likes to portray Francis Maude as Mr Gloomy. He wasn't on Thursday night. ConservativeHome's camera shots of CCHQ on election night reveal a relaxed Mr Maude, alongside David and Samanatha Cameron. Other behind-the-scenes photos here.
There were lots of winners on Thursday night - we profile some of them here - but Eric Pickles was a chief winner. Coordinator of the local elections campaign and 'master of ceremonies' on election night at CCHQ, he has emerged as a new Tory star. He's now up in Crewe, coordinating our by-election effort.
He'd only had a few hours' sleep but David Cameron was in Wales for breakfast time. The Conservatives now control as many Welsh councils as Labour.
By two-to-one ConservativeHome readers voted Sky's coverage better than the dumbed-down BBC coverage (Jeremy Vine's cowboy act has to be seen to be believed). Here is Sky projecting a Tory majority of 152 based on the local election results.
If Gordon Brown was downbeat, guess who was grinning like a Cheshire cat? The front page of The Evening Standard revealed a smiling Mr Tony Blair.
From Wales to Nuneaton and then to Bury. Underneath a statue of Robert Peel, David Cameron celebrated Tory progress in the north of England. Tories control Bury for the first time since 1986. we also now control North Tyneside council and Rossendale council. There were also gains in Sunderland, Rotherham, Barnsley, Carlisle, Chorley, Doncaster, Hartlepool, Pendle, Preston, Salford, Stockport, Warrington, Wigan and Wirral.
By the early evening a special edition of The Evening Standard was rushed on to London's streets to declare that Boris would be crowned Mayor.
Finally, just before midnight, Boris is officially declared the new Mayor of London.
Happy Tories gather outside the GLA on Saturday for Boris' signing-in.
And then Oberon Houston captures the moment Boris signs the papers that make him Mayor of London.
Fantastic photographic record of a wonderful moment for the Party!
Posted by: woodentop | May 06, 2008 at 12:55
The highlight for me was the capture of Bury and the report on radio five from Bury market where the fishmongers were chanting "Brown out" with real venom in their voices. I often go on the market and everyone there still talks about David Cameron's visit. Mr Cameron is well liked on the best market in the north.
Posted by: Tony Makara | May 06, 2008 at 12:58
I wish I had a camera with me whilst I was doing telling at Devonshire Hill Primary School, WHL, Tottenham. Four Muslim women, all wearing black burkkahs, turned up at the polling station - all clutching Boris pledge cards which we had delivered the night before. It would have been one to send to La Polly et al.
Posted by: Justin Hinchcliffe | May 06, 2008 at 12:59
How about the graphic of the Boris wig on top of City Hall?
Posted by: David Cooper | May 06, 2008 at 13:23
I hope Boris is more focused than Oberon's photography.... ;-)
Posted by: Chad Noble | May 06, 2008 at 13:24
Let's not forget the thousands of activists and supporters who gave up their time to get these results by delivering leaflets, canvassing voters and doing other important tasks. There's a difference between those who physically work and those who merely pose for pictures to boost their own inflated egos.
Posted by: Known Activist | May 06, 2008 at 13:33
First time since the early 90's that I have enjoyed an election night :) well done to all
Posted by: Bexie | May 06, 2008 at 13:41
Can the picture of Eric Pickles be turned into a Giant Poster ?!?
It's almost as inspiring as the Churchill picture I have stuck on my PC to remind me to get on with stuff and not put everything off until tomorrow!!
Posted by: kingbongo | May 06, 2008 at 13:51
Eric Pickles is a hero.
We owe him a lot.
Posted by: Joe James Broughton | May 06, 2008 at 14:15
Agree with Bexie! The best election night in years! Lots of fun!
PS) We also gained another seat in Halton where we now have 9 councillors. Gained from the dreadful Lib Dems incidentally which was particularly gratifying!
Posted by: Carl Cross | May 06, 2008 at 14:35
Chad - Yes sorry its a bit blurred, there was a minor riot going on around me as I tried to take the photo. That was the best one!
Posted by: Oberon Houston | May 06, 2008 at 15:00
I assumed you were "tired and emotional" Oberon. :-)
Posted by: Chad Noble | May 06, 2008 at 15:05
Why is it that SKY have us winning 300+ seats and labour losing over 400, but the BBC's website has totals of +257/-334?
See http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/uk_politics/2008/local_elections_2008/default.stm
That's a pretty big difference...
Posted by: C Morrison | May 06, 2008 at 16:19
I think the difference is to do with the new Cheshire unitary authorities. These were, therefore, the first elections to them. I assume BBC left them out of account (both won by the Conservatives, I note) while Sky has presumably done a read across from the old authorities.
I wonder what would have happened had the Cheshire authorities gone the other way?
On another subject, I did a 7-9 am telling slot in my ward before going off to run our campaign centre. I estimate 75% of the voters in those two hours were Boris supporters. Truly a day I will long remember....
Posted by: wandsworth boy | May 06, 2008 at 16:46
Is the Boris Johnson result the highest personal vote for any politician in a UK election ever?
Posted by: GT | May 06, 2008 at 18:36
I think the answer to your question is almost certainly 'yes', GT!
Posted by: Editor | May 06, 2008 at 18:40
So how were you able to call it so early, Tim?
Posted by: comstock | May 06, 2008 at 18:48
What we have, comstock, is a network of activist contacts throughout London and the country. The network that enabled us to publish 95% of the 'secret' A-list within 48 hours also gave us lots of intelligence last Thursday. We felt the intelligence was so strong - on the ground and from Westminster insiders, too - that we felt able to make 'the call'. Fortunately we were right!!
:-)
Posted by: Editor | May 06, 2008 at 19:12