Oh what a night!

It was an astonishing night.
And we had great fun in our WhatsApp group of four. Two of our friends in their own homes and we two in ours, swapping photos and messages, eating chocolate and having a glass of wine as the night wore on!
Much to celebrate as the main results began to come in around 1:00-1:30am.
We all had a break around 1:00am for a short nap before resuming our Election night marathon TV watching.
I stayed up when it was the 1997 Election and Tony Blair was elected on another Labour landslide.
That was just myself and Matthew at the time. Both of us euphoric by daybreak.
None of us are unaware of the challenges that this new Labour Government has to face and begin to address.
Not the least as the voting turnout was low because a lot of the population have been disillusioned by how things have been done, or not done. Crazy to think that Labour got 412 seats on 35% of the vote says how much people have turned their backs on politics.
The fact that Reform got 5 seats, taking votes from the Conservatives in the process, and the Liberal Democrats have had a resurgence, gaining 63 seats, and 71 overall, underlines just how much the country has felt about the last Government.
So Sir Keir Starmer has a huge job to do.
A very obviously chastened Rishi Sunak gave a very gracious speech as he left Downing Street with his wife around lunchtime to go and see the King.
Jeremy Hunt, who was Chancellor of the Exchequer left with his wife and
children plus the dog to vacate their apartments for the incoming new one, Rachel Reeves.
It is always such a very British spectacle. All done with with well ordered ceremony.
Keir Starmer arrived with his wife having been to the Palace to “kiss hands” with the King and take up his post as the new Prime Minister,
I thought his speech outside Number 10 was also very gracious, and he looked and sounded so much more like an incoming Prime Minister.
The count in our own constituency of Sutton Coldfield went to the wire, and Andrew Mitchell, the sitting MP won by a narrow margin having been MP here for 23 years and well liked. I say narrow, it was just 2,000 votes and the Labour candidate coming second. He will no doubt be in the Shadow Cabinet.
So a momentous night, and incredible results. Quite a few Independent MP’s elected from mainly Muslim constituencies, mainly because of events in Gaza. ( That being a whole unresolved horrendous awful ongoing situation)
Here I am at 19:30 on Friday evening after a marathon session of TV and radio for the past 24 hours!
I have posted a photo of last night’s glorious red sundown sky taken at 22:00 in extras. It was spectacular.
I’ve had an hour in the garden around teatime, deadheading the roses and both of us chopping back a bush at the top of the garden which is on its last legs. I cut some more roses to bring indoors,
We’ve now had a shower of rain, but not much to speak of yet.
Hardly a breath of wind right now as I look out of the patio window.
We are going to watch the France v Portugal match shortly.
Right now, it’s time for another brew.