Humbled by political reality

That famous victory of 1997 never seemed so long ago as it did in the early hours of today, when Tony Blair stepped onto the stage at his election count, tired and worn and even humble as he celebrated his historic third victory.

Gone was the triumphalism of eight years ago, the rallies and parties that celebrated that extraordinary landslide. In its place was a Blair who, if not exactly filled with contrition, knew that Britain has fallen out of love with New Labour.

The figures told him that, of course; the raw data of defeat as seat after seat fell to the Tories and Liberal Democrats. But in his own constituency of Sedgefield, a Labour stronghold as solid as they come, it was brought home with stunning clarity by a quiet, modest man who has never fought an election in his life, never had a chance of unseating Tony Blair and did not even manage to beat the third-placed Liberal Democrats.

That man was Reg Keys, whose son Tom was killed while serving in Iraq, and over the past five weeks he has given the one-horse race that is the norm for elections in Sedgefield a vitality not seen for years.

Prime Ministers are used to oddball candidates fighting them on their home turf, eccentrics and losers and single issue obsessives, but Reg Keys was more than that: losers and eccentrics do not usually receive more than 4,000 votes.

So when Mr Blair came to make his victory speech, it was with a humility that has not often been seen before. "If the predictions are right, it looks as if the Labour Party is heading, for the first time in its history, for a historic third term," he said. "It's not yet clear, obviously, what the majority is. But it seems as if it is clear that the British people wanted the return of a Labour government, but with a reduced majority.

"We have to respond to that sensibly and wisely and responsibly."

And yes, he did acknowledge the damage the war had done to Labour: "I know Iraq has been a divisive issue in this country.

"But I hope now we can unite again and look to the future."

Perhaps that was good enough for some of his supporters, who certainly gave him a healthy enough cheer. But it was never going to be good enough for Reg Keys when he got his turn to address the hall. So softly-spoken that at times he was almost inaudible, he paid a moving tribute to his son - killed, as he said, "four days short of his 21st birthday... in a war started in extremely controversial circumstances."

He went on: "I hope in my heart that one day the Prime Minister will be able to say sorry to the families and the bereaved; then my campaign will not have been in vain."

He finished by listing the names of the five military policemen who died alongside his son. "May you rest in peace, lads," he said. "Thank you."

As he spoke, the other candidates up on the stage applauded him warmly: Tony and Cherie Blair stood there impassively, looking as if they wished he would go away, knowing they could do nothing about it.

Then, for the Blairs - who were accompanied by their two older sons Euan and Nicky - it was off to the Trimdon Labour Club, that bastion of old Labour values which somehow became a symbol of New Labour. How different the scene was there this morning compared with

population of Sedgefield crammed themselves into every smoky corner to cheer the great Blair triumph.

Today the club was little more than three quarters full, the atmosphere more wake than celebration.

Down went Putney, down went Peterborough, and the mood got more sombre by the minute. But at least everyone cheered up when Mr Blair arrived; they even put down their pints of Federation bitter to sing him happy birthday.

Oh yes, it is Mr Blair's birthday today. He is 52 years old. But who knows what kind of birthday he was having?

He told his supporters: "I know that there are lots of lessons to learn but I feel very proud of the fact that we've managed that historic third term of victory. And I feel very proud too, not just of the changes we've made but of what we can now do with this mandate."

Down in London, political reality - hard, cold, compromised - awaited him.