MR TONY BLAIR - Britain's first elected Labour Prime Minister in 23 years - arrived triumphant in Downing Street yesterday and set about shaping the cabinet to take the country into the next century.
The day saw the defeated Mr John Major draw the curtain on his political career, as ecstatic crowds welcomed the Blair family to No to after Queen Elizabeth II had formally invited the Labour leader to form a new government.
It would be a government, he said, which would govern for the whole nation; a government rooted in the values of justice, progress and community; acting on a mandate to unite "one nation in which our ambition for ourselves is matched by our sense of compassion and decency and duty towards other people".
During 18 years in Opposition, said Mr Blair, Labour could only say and not do: "Today, enough of talking. It is time now to do."
And with that the new Prime Minister met the Cabinet Secretary to prepare his order of business, and a few hours later announced the first tranch of cabinet appointments. There were no surprises as Mr John Prescott emerged as Deputy Prime Minister with extra responsibilities for Environment, Transport and regional policy.
Mr Gordon Brown was confirmed as Chancellor; Mr Robin Cook as Foreign Secretary; Mr Jack Straw, Home Secretary; Mr David Blunkett, Education Secretary; Mrs Margaret Beckett, President of the Board of Trade; and Lord Irvine, Lord Chancellor.
Mr Blair is expected to complete his Cabinet appointments in time for a meeting of the Privy Council scheduled for later today with Dr Mo Mowlam hoping to travel to the North immediately after her appointment as Northern Ireland Secretary.
On his return from Buckingham Palace, Mr Blair paid tribute to Mr Major, who just a short while earlier had confirmed his resignation as Conservative leader. "I should like to begin by paying tribute to my predecessor John Major for his dignity and his courage over these last few days, and for the manner of his leaving, the essential decency, of which is the mark of the man.
The former Chancellor, Mr Kenneth Clarke, was the first candidate to declare, for the Tory contest which may not take place until mid-June. The bookmakers favourite is Mr Michael Heseltine, with other former ministers, Mr William Hague, Ms Gillian Shephard, Mr Michael Howard, and Mr John Redwood all expected to compete for votes from the 165 Conservative MPs.
Labour ended the day with a record breaking 179 seat majority, claiming 44 per cent of the votes and a 10.5 per cent swing on a reduced turnout of 71 per cent.