MAGNANIMITY is a wonderful thing, especially if you are the victor.

And so, with his hair neatly swept back and looking flush in the face, the pumped down PM stood at the Downing Street lectern and graciously praised Nick Clegg - and Ed Miliband.

The Tory leader mentioned how he had led the first Coalition government in 70 years and paid tribute to those who had worked so ceaselessly to make it a success, stressing "in particular, on this day, Nick Clegg".

He then turned to the bruising clashes over the years he had had with his Labour opposite number but now mentioned how earlier Red Ed had phoned him to congratulate him on his success. "It was a typically generous gesture from someone who is clearly in public service for all the right reasons."

David Cameron made his brief victory speech, having returned from his audience with the Queen, and faced with bank upon bank of cameramen, busy clicking away at every movement and every gesture.

Further down Downing Street on the pavement, the No 10 staff huddled together to watch the return of their boss. Net curtains could be seen twitching as some officials inside on the upper floors took a special vantage point to watch the spectacle below.

One snapper jokingly asked: "So when does Nicola Sturgeon move into No 9?" "Sunday," came the reply.

The PM used his speech to wax lyrical about how all the hard work of the past five years was beginning to pay off and declared: "We are on the brink of something special in this country."

Standing in front of the famous black door, Mr Cameron repeated his Tom Good moment, insisting: "We can make Britain a place where a good life is in reach for everyone, who is willing to work and do the right thing."

And he made one more vow; to deliver his entire manifesto, including an in-out referendum on Britain's membership of the EU, now he had a majorrrrity government.

Indeed, he mentioned he had a "majorrrrity government" a number of times; the words slipping delightfully from his mouth.

But given the result in Scotland, the PM was keen to underline his One Nation Tory credentials and repeated how his administration would govern as a "party of one nation, one United Kingdom; that means ensuring this recovery reaches all parts of our country from north to south, from east to west".

He spoke again of respecting the Scottish devolution settlement and the promises made to give Holyrood more powers, making it the strongest devolved parliament in the world.

Talking of the UK as a country with "such good humour and such compassion", he said he was convinced that if people drew on all of this, then they could take these islands with all their proud history and build an even prouder future.

"Together," he added with a Churchillian flourish, "we can make Great Britain greater still."

And with that, the epilogue to the election campaign was over. He stood back and took the hand of Sam, lingered once more in front of the big black door to a cacophony of camera clicks and cries of "kiss her" and then, without obliging the snappers, slowly walked inside the Downing Street darkness to applause from the staff.

Now the difficult bit begins.