Running the bar dry Inside Labour's night of elation (and Tory woes)

Keir Starmer saw the moment he would become prime minister in the same manner as the rest of the nation, on the sofa at a friend's home, watching the BBC exit poll with his wife and children.

- Jessica Elgot, Aletha Adu

This close group of friends and advisers - many of whom have been at Starmer's side since the early days of his leadership - roared at the prediction of a landslide. But Starmer was calm, embracing them all one by one. "It felt like a dream, an out-of-body experience," said one.

Ever cautious, Starmer did allow himself a celebratory drink, but there was an acute awareness of the three speeches he would now have to give over the coming sleepless hours.

After a few hours watching the first results, the group went their separate ways, splintering off for counts, or to Labour HQ and to the watch party with campaigners and invited guests in the Tate Modern.

Inside Labour HQ, there was a throng of staff, joined by those who had travelled back to London from counts throughout the night. As the number of Tory casualties mounted, the rowdiness increased.

One party aide acquired a hotel reception bell, ringing it loudly every time another Tory MP fell. The sound became relentless during the early hours as Labour took seats from Penny Mordaunt, Johnny Mercer, Thérèse Coffey and Grant Shapps.

When Liz Truss lost her seat around 7am the roar from the party staff could be heard from the street outside through the open windows by passing early commuters. In the early hours, campaign director Morgan McSweeney slipped in, but there was no desk-banging or celebrations on tables, just a discreet thank you with staff.

Starmer headed to a private celebration at the Tate Modern at around 3am after his own count in Holborn and St Pancras.

During the ride across town, he received a phone call from Rishi Sunak - conceding defeat and wishing him well as Britain's next prime minister.