David Cameron has pledged to govern for all of the UK and said he wanted to "bring our country together" in his acceptance speech in Oxfordshire.

Before heading back to 10 Downing Street after a General Election in which the Conservatives were on track to outperform expectations, the Conservative leader told supporters he would take back the mantle claimed by Ed Miliband in recent years - and that the Tories were the true "One nation" party. 

At his count in Witney, Mr Cameron mentioned the 70th anniversary VE as he remembered those who had fought  "to save our country and our democracy".

He claimed the Tory result was a "positive response to a positive campaign" that included a strong plan for the economy for the next five years. 

He reiterated the pledge he made outside Downing Street in 2010 that "those who can should and those who can't we always help."

In a moment of humility, he said it was "too early" to say exactly what  "sort"of outcome would result from the election.

He also defended last year's independence referendum in Scotland, following the SNP surge, saying it had been "right" to hold that vote just as it would be "right" to ask the public their view on EU membership.

He added that he wanted to "govern for everyone in our United Kingdom".

"Above all I want to bring our country together, our United Kingdom together," he said. 

This would be achieved not least by implementing the further devolution agreed between the parties for England and Wales, he added. 

He also pledged to "reclaim the mantle that we should never have lost.. of One Nation... And that is how I intend to govern."

Mr Cameron was elected in his ultra-safe Tory seat with more than 35,000 votes. 

Earlier Boris Johnson, tipped as a possible successor to Mr Cameron, said that the voters had sent a clear message that they "decisively rejected" what he described as Labour's attempts to take the UK back to the 1970s. 

Mr Johnson also declared it had been an "amazing night" for the Conservatives and praised what he described as the "common sense" of the British people. 

Earlier Tory sources had cautiously greeted suggestions that the party could take a majority of seats at Westminster.

Experts suggested that the early  results indicated that the exit poll had underestimated Tory support.

However, Conservative figures played down such an outcome saying it was still "early days" and that the results would have to be replicated across other parts of England.

Five years ago Mr Cameron used the Witney count to declare that a hung parliament meant that Labour had lost its mandate to govern.

After 13 years of a Labour government the inconclusive result meant that a voters were hungry for change, he said. At that stage  he said:  "I believe it is already clear that the Labour government has lost its mandate to govern our country. He said he would act in the national interest. "What will guide me in the hours ahead, and perhaps longer than the hours ahead, will be the national interest - to do what is right for our country, to make sure we have that government, have that stability, take the right decisions.

"We live in difficult times but this is a great country and we will come through them and be stronger. At all times what I will do is put the national interest first to make sure we have good, strong, stable government for our country."

In 2010 the Conservatives had a number of unexpected victories - but also failed to capture what were considered by many to be crucial target seats.