The highlight of the election was seeing Liz Truss lose her seat - Daxa Patel

There will be a lot of analysis on the election results by the pundits but as a lay person who happens to be addicted to politics these are my observations.

I stayed up all night to watch the election results unfold with the choice of so many different channels I stuck with ITV and Channel 4. My highlight of the night was Liz Truss losing her seat. She left without a positive mark just as she did in her 44 days as PM. I am sorry to hear pundits describe this as the Portillo moment, because I have enormous respect for Mr Portillo, there is no comparison between the two, one has gravitas, and Liz Truss, well, was unfit to be an MP let alone be the Prime Minister of this great country.

The day after the elections it was refreshing to hear the new Health Secretary acknowledge that the NHS is broken. This vindicates the patients and the clinicians who have been saying it for a long time. Whether the broken system is improved remains to be seen but accepting what is, is an honest step.

The stock market was clearly happy with the election results as the pound and UK shares went up after the poll result.

Whether we support Labour or not this was a spectacular landslide. Sir Keir’s speech outside Number 10 was full of words like “hope”, “healing”, “renewal”, “spirit” and “mission”. He struck the right note in terms of humility and managing expectations. What was also worthy of note was how the clouds parted soon after Rishi Sunak went to the Palace and when Sir Keir arrived.

As Paulo Coelho said in the Alchemist, the universe conspires to bring our dream come true when we desire something with a pure intent. The voters punished the Tories for the debacle for the last 14 years as of the five seats belonging to five Tory Prime ministers, only Rishi Sunak won his seat. The seats lost were solid Tory seats with large margins. A miracle or the universe conspiring through Reform.

But proof is in the pudding, we will see if the new government does listen and does act. Voter apathy reflected the poor turnout, but voters must not be disrespected.

I would like to see in the next five years real improvements and yes, there will be a cost as nothing is free, but if the cost or even rise in tax means the lost decade and a half of living standards, and growth are restored, the hardship will be worth it.

The Labour party will need to reflect on how they win back the Muslim voters who left them and caused them to lose some seats over their slow response for a ceasefire in Gaza. Palestine should be recognised and we must accept a two-state solution is the only way.

While the new government will be busy with putting out urgent fires and dealing with fulfilling their pledges to the country, the Tories will need to review if they should align with Reform UK or make an assertive stand to maintain the centre right place.

I am not filled with hope when I hear the names of potential leaders like Braverman or Patel, I rate both as bad as Truss. For the Tories to survive they need someone who reflects the Britishness the Reform Party claims to have on offer. When Nigel Farage says he wants a country that is colour blind he is masking the fact that his party is a modern guise of the extreme right. By claiming to be ‘moderate’ he is in fact taking full advantage of the Tories' indecisiveness as to whom they really represent.

What the next Conservative leader must not do is move to the far right to appease as what is missing is a centre right party people feel they can align with.

Immigration and border controls will be urgent issues to tackle, but we must remember there is a clear difference between protecting our borders from illegal ‘visitors’ and good immigration. This country must not forget that more than half of the clinicians in the NHS are from the commonwealth, or are of Asian descent, and the care sector is supported by hardworking BAME staff. Immigration has brought a richness to this country which must be celebrated.

About our new PM, I note he and I have a few things in common, we both went to the University of Leeds, we both studied law, and became lawyers. I had to smile when I heard the new PM say in one of his radio interviews that his children wanted a dog, a German Shepherd. I am being biased as I have a German Shepherd but that shows good taste, so I am willing to give him the chance to shift the dial of our country to make it great again.

We may disagree but one thing we must celebrate is the fact that all of us want the country to get back on its feet. The magic of democracy means we have been given a second chance, so it is crucial it is not squandered.

Daxa Manhar Patel is a leadership coach, author and solicitor.