Timeline: How the night unfolded

10:00 p.m. (UK time) -- Voting ends. Exit polls predict Labour landslide but Conservatives remain defiant.

10:08 -- Shadow chancellor Michael Portillo says he hopes William Hague carries on and that it would be a "grave error" for anyone to jump to conclusions about the Tory Party leadership.

10:42 -- First result declared. Labour's Chris Mullin re-elected in Sunderland South. The 48% turnout is the first sign of voter apathy.

00:24 -- Liberal Democrats hold Torbay with a majority of 6,708: a key marginal for the Conservative party.

01:29 -- Prime Minister Tony Blair re-elected in Sedgefield. He says: "Tonight the Labour Party for the first time in our 100 year history looks as if we may be on the verge of a second successive term of office."

02:15 -- Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy holds his Ross, Skye and Inverness West constituency.

02:59 -- The Labour party seals an historic second landslide victory in the general election.

03:15 -- William Hague, leader of the Conservative Party, calls Tony Blair to formally concede defeat and to offer his congratulations in a brief but amicable conversation.

04:27 -- William Hague is re-elected in Richmond, Yorkshire.

05:42 -- Re-elected Prime Minister Tony Blair arrives at the Labour Headquarters in London.

07:00 -- Defeated leader of the opposition William Hague arrives at the Conservative headquarters in London

07:48 -- William Hague resigns as leader of the Conservative party