By Tom Watson and Amy Coen

David Cameron may have started the night slowly, but by the early hours of Friday morning the Conservatives were anything but blue.

The Conservatives started the night optimistically when the exit poll showed them winning an impressive 307 seats, a 97 seat gain on the 2005 elections, but still short of a full majority.

This, nonetheless, inspired an outpouring of positive expectancy from Cameron and an impromptu phone call from the Republican Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Gov. Schwarzenegger congratulated Cameron on his win ahead of any confirmation of constituency seat victory. The Republican showered the party leader with positive comments.

Mr. Schwarzenegger tweeted a message minutes after the conversation that read: “Just called @David Cameron to congratulate him on the victory,” 

‘‘Even though results aren’t in we know the Conservatives had a great day.”

Cameron released a statement through his spokesperson shortly after, claiming the exit poll was a “decisive rejection of Gordon Brown” and that the Conservatives could easily govern with the predicted result.

George Osborne, Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer said: “Britain needs a stable and responsible government and looking at the exit poll it is pretty clear Labour cannot continue in government. Labour has been rejected by the British people.”

Despite the high expectations from across the pond, the first constituency results from Houghton and Sunderland South favoured Labour, with only a 5.2 per cent Conservative swing to hint at an ultimate Cameron win.

MP Chris Skidrow made the first upset at Kingswood, a suburban area near Bristol, after stealing a majority vote with a 9.4 per cent swing from Labour. A difference of that size across the country would have approved Cameron as the next Prime Minister with ease.

Mr Cameron continued his conquest throughout the night in constituencies such as Putney, swinging it from Labour by a substantial 9.9 per cent of the vote.

Battersea became a shock steal from Labour with a 6.5 per cent swing, followed triumphantly by an unexpected steal from the loyal Liberal Democrat constituency Montgomeryshire, usurping former Cheeky Girl fiancé Lembit Opik.

The results from Carlisle showed that Conservative hopes of holding the recommended 326 seats to run parliament was a realistic final outcome, stealing the constituency from Labour with an unexpected 7.7 per cent swing. 

George Osborne reiterated the general feel of the party following the encouraging results from across the country: “I do not think there’s any question of Labour being unable to continue following this massive rejection of the Labour Party.”

Cameron stormed to an expected victory in his home constituency of Witney, receiving 58.81 per cent of the vote and swinging an impressive 6.29 per cent from the Liberal Democrats.

By Lara O'Reilly

Cries of “yes we Khan, yes we Khan” erupted in Wandsworth Civic Suite last night as Sadiq Khan, Labour candidate for Tooting, retained his seat in the constituency.

Khan, the minister of state for transport and first Muslim ever in British history to attend cabinet, beat his rival Tory Candidate, Mark Clarke, to the seat by a majority of 2,524 – but less than half that of the majority in 2005, which stood at 5381.

According to Khan, last night saw Tooting’s highest Labour vote since 1997 and the Conservatives’ lowest since 1992.

Clarke needed a 6.1 per cent swing to unseat Labour – not dissimilar to the 6.9 per cent the Conservatives needed nationally to win the overall majority.

Mr Khan said: “Tooting is the seat the Conservatives would need to win to have a majority Government.

“The three words I am very pleased to say are: ‘Tooting Labour hold’.”

The constituency of Tooting was number 112 on the Tory target list after Labour won its 5381 majority in 2005.

In his winning speech, Khan praised the positive Labour campaign in the constituency compared to Tory “smears” which was met by jeers from Conservative supporters.

In the run-up to the campaign, it was emerged Khan had wrongly used Commons expenses to send out letters to constituents in the run-up to the election.

Mr Khan said: “This is not about party leaders or politicians, it is about Tooting. This election in Tooting was about power to the people.”

Clarke made no losers speech and was unavailable for comment after the result was announced.

Liberal Democrat Nasser Butt polled 7,509 votes.

The Tooting constituency covers Tooting, Earlsfield and part of Balham.

The Wandsworth borough is typically Conservative and traditionally one of the Tories’ strongest local authorities in London - as demonstrated by strong wins in the Battersea and Putney seats last night.

Tooting has a significant ethnic minority community and was typically working class until city house price hikes saw young middle class professionals move in to the area.

Last year, Khan made history by being the first Muslim to attend Cabinet, in his role as transport minister.

Khan is a bus driver’s son who grew up in an Earlsfield council flat.

His mother worked at local St George’s Hospital and he maintains strong links to the West Indies where his family are originally from.

Clarke, 33, is the Chairman of Conservative Future, the youth wing of the Conservative Party.

He featured in society magazine, Tatler, in the now infamous photoshoot of “future cabinet ministers”.

Turnout in the borough was less than expected at 65 per cent.

KU students have the opportunity to shape the political landscape and play a decisive role in the election. However, those considering voting for a perspective party or candidate should consider what their vote means with regards to tuition fees.

A Labour review on tuition fees in 2004 meant students were paying as much as £3,225 per year. This rate, over a standard three year course would lead to students leaving higher education with almost £10,000 to pay back; this figure excludes rent and living expenses.

The government said it would review tuition fees last year, but decided against going ahead with it until after the election. However, all signs are that tuition fees will rise.

“There is a real prospect that fees might go up by £5,000, £7,000 or £10,000 per year. Some leaders and some vice- chancellors are already asking the opposition to push fees up,” said Aaron Porter, vice president of the NUS.

The NUS are keen to generate money for higher education funding from the tax payer rather than increasing the considerable debt taken on by undergraduates. The average graduate debt is now in excess of £22,000. Mr Porter said: “Part-time, post-grads and international students are charged a great deal more, as they have un-capped fees.”

 Both main parties have given their backing to prospect fee hikes. Labour has indicated that it wants to give permission to universities to set their own fees. 

The Conservatives have suggested a fee structure similar to the US system, which is much higher than in the UK.

The Lib Dems would prefer to cut tuition fees. Ed Davey, MP for Kingston-Surbiton said: “We want to slash top up fees. This time we know we can’t afford to do it so we will now do it over six years, we would gradually get it to all students.”

Mr Davey added: “I think with tuition fees we have got a whole range of problems, the most concerning one is that when students do graduate they have a huge millstone of debt round their neck.”

Max Freedman, Labour candidate for Kingston-Surbiton said: “There should not be any increase in tuition fees. Universities have to be paid for whether that is by tuition fees or some sort of graduate tax. We need a system that does not scare people off going to university; grants are a good thing.”

The Green Party have made similar overtures about their plans to do away with fees by raising tax. They hope to generate revenue for their projects by abolishing identity cards and scrapping the planned up-grade of the UK's nuclear arsenal.

 The party would advocate funding higher education by offering grants to students, instead of raising fees. This would ensure students left university with lower debt levels.

  “Our policy is to scrap any fees for higher education, the only way to do this is to raise taxes,” said Chris Walker, Green Party candidate for Kingston-Surbiton.

 However, Conservative candidate for Kingston-Richmond Helen Whately believes there is no realistic alternative to a tuition fee hike.

 “None of the three parties would be able support lowering tuition fees. The Lib Dems do not have a policy here, their whips will vote in accordance with the party line. The choice between Labour, Conservative and Lib Dem is clear, it’s not about who’s going to cut fees, it’s about who’s going to give you more for your money,” she said.