Ed Miliband has quit as Britain's Labour leader after a dramatic election night where his party was virtually wiped out in Scotland and David Cameron was on the way to a Commons majority.

Reflecting on the devastating results after 30 seconds of applause, Mr Miliband said he took "absolute and total responsibility" for the result, offering apologies to big Labour beasts including Ed Balls and Jim Murphy who were defeated overnight.

He added: "Britain needs a strong Labour Party, Britain needs a Labour Party that can rebuild after this debate so we can have a government that stands up for working people again.

"And now it is time for someone else to take forward the leadership of this party. So I am tendering my resignation, taking effect after this afternoon's commemoration of VE Day at the Cenotaph.

"I want to do so straight away because the party needs to have an open and honest debate about the right way forward, without constraint."

Rather than breaking through as forecast by opinion polls, Labour saw losses to the Tories in key marginal seats and failed to win the Conservatives most vulnerable constituencies.