THIS election might have been characterised by apathy and a low turn-out, but nothing can detract from Tony Blair's achievement. For this morning, a landslide sees Mr Blair returning to Downing Street as the only Labour Prime Minister to win a second term in the party's 100-year history. It also saw Mr Hague resign as the Tory leader.

Throughout this election, the result has never seemed in doubt. The apparent inevitability of Labour's victory deadened interest in the election for some voters and might go some way to explaining the low turn-out. But whatever lies behind the victory, now is the time for Labour to set about fulfilling its promises.

Tony Blair remains something of a political enigma. For he has been both an inspirational and a disappointing premier, a passionate politician who can yet seem shallow and opportunistic. Voters receive many impressions of Tony Blair and it can be hard to pin down the man himself, to be certain that the Tony Blair on the evening news on any particular night is the real man, and not just a wary politician with one eye on the next day's headlines as he rides the surf of spin.

New Labour can fairly point to many achievements, including economic stability, devolution, the Northern Ireland peace process, the introduction of a minimum wage, a million more jobs and improving primary schools.

Yet tight spending controls in the Government's first two years led to inevitable disappointment with the state of the health service. Other minuses include the fuel tax revolt, which temporarily boosted the popularity of Tory leader William Hague, the 75 pence increase in the basic state pension, the humiliation of the Dome and the foot and mouth crisis.

But after the devastating disappointment of a second defeat, Mr Hague resigned this morning. He did the honourable thing. His ambition of becoming Prime Minister was dashed forever.

Like Neil Kinnock with Labour, Mr Hague's party would never regain power with him as leader. He is an able, caring politician, but the poll showed that he does not have the personal charisma to capture the nation's confidence.

Tony Blair, on the other hand, is walking in sunlight today. Speaking from his Sedgefield constituency, where his majority was cut from 25,000 to 17,700, Mr Blair referred to his party's "historic moment." He did not, however, allow himself to crow, recognising there was disappointment with New Labour and promising to modernise Britain.

He believes "this country today is a better country than in 1997 - and I believe in five years' time it will be a better country than today".

Supporters and opponents of Mr Blair will remember those words. There is much to do, especially in health and education. If improvements do not arrive, Mr Blair will have wasted his historic opportunity. The vital work should start now.

Updated: 10:06 Friday, June 08, 2001