World Leaders Welcome Labour Victory

President Clinton telephoned Tony Blair on his car phone as he made his way to the Festival Hall to celebrate his victory.

Mr Clinton congratulated Mr Blair and said he looked forward to seeing him soon. It is not clear whether this was a formal invitation to visit the United States.

But Mr Blair is due to visit the USA in mid-June to attend a G7 summit and deliver a speech at the United Nations.

The Labour leader received a similar positive reaction from European leaders. He has tipped left-of-centre parties into a majority in Europe, becoming the eighth socialist leader in the European Union.

Chancellor Helmut Kohl of Germany said Labour had been given an "overwhelming" mandate to play a more positive role in EU negotiations.

The outcome of the election had clearly signalled that the British public rejected the Tories' anti-European stand.

"Voters did not like the anti-European rhetoric of the past few days and weeks and this should be a lesson for all those who want to win votes with anti-European polemics," he declared.

Santer: warm welcome

The European Commission President Jacques Santer hailed Mr Blair's victory as a chance for Britain to play "its rightful leading role" in the EU.

"Never more than now has the European Union needed strong British commitment with its unique combination of pragmatism and efficiency," said Mr Santer in a congratulatory message.

The message was warmer than the usual formal acknowledgement issued by Brussels when one or other European administrations change.

And its tone reflected the hope at Commission headquarters that the era of the Eurosceptics has been crushed.

"On behalf of the European Commission I would like to congratulate you and the Labour Party most warmly for your outstanding victory in the general election," Mr Santer said.

The Belgian Prime Minister Jean-Luc Dehaene, the man blocked by John Major from becoming the European Union Commission's president, on Friday welcomed Tony Blair's victory. He said hoped the Labour leader would make a success of the EU's future.

"In this crucial phase of common challenges, I am looking forward to new cooperation with you and our colleagues to make a success of the inter-governmental conference and the building of a strengthened Euro-Atlantic relationship," Mr Deheane said in a statement.

The former Belgian premier Leo Tindemanns, who was often on the receiving end of Mrs Thatcher's "handbag diplomacy" in the EU in the 1980s, said Europe was now anxious to see just how much more positive Tony Blair's attitude would be.

For his part, the French foreign minister Herve de Charette agreed that the election outcome was an indictment of Euro-scepticism.

"I am ready to pursue and develop Franco-British dialogue and cooperation with the new government," he said.

In Brussels, European Commission officials predicted a new era of British cooperation.

Exactly how Mr Blair will tackle key issues confronting Britain over EU Treaty reform will become clear within days - Labour intends to field its yet-to-be-appointed European Affairs Minister at intergovernmental talks in Brussels on Monday.

Labour is hedging its bets on how far it will go in Europe so soon after election. The Amsterdam summit just six weeks away will put Mr Blair to the test over his pledge to the public not to be a "soft touch" on Europe.