Conservative Party David Cameron Labour Party

UK press reacts to surprise Conservative election victory

By John Glenday, Reporter

May 8, 2015 | 6 min read

The UK press have published their initial reaction to a surprise Conservative election surge, with reactions ranging from ‘shock’ to elation.

Amongst the former was ‘I’ whose front page splash read: “Shock exit poll hands Cameron big lead’, a sentiment shared by the guardian which described the outcome as a ‘Poll shocker for Labour’ and the Independent which led with ‘Shock exit poll points to Conservative victory.’

The Conservative supporting press were jubilant at the outcome with Times reporting simply ‘Tories out in front’ adding that a ‘Labour slump’ was predicted after the parties Scottish rout. The Daily Mail meanwhile led with ‘Cameron heading back to Number 10’. The Telegraph added: “Cameron will hold onto power”.

The Sun added its input with ‘Swinging the Blues’ as the Labour vote ‘crumbled’.

Unusually the FT relegates British tumult to focus on the situation in Europe, where the financial title warns of the ‘worst Eurozone bond turmoil’ since the onset of the current crisis.

If the right leaning press were happy Labour supporting media were not so happy, with the Daily Mirror, not Cameron’s biggest fan, asking ‘Five more damned years?’

Much of the discussion is taking place away from traditional media however, with Twitter confirming that 3.8m tweets about the UK election have been written since polls opened yesterday with the largest spike occurring at 22:52 as news of the exit poll spread.