It was the election nobody wanted and it delivered a result that nobody expected. Rather than providing the “strong and stable” government to lead the country into Brexit negotiations, as promised by Theresa May, the UK instead has a hung Parliament.
Theresa May gambled on Labour’s poor polling performance and when the election was called, pundits suggested the Conservatives could achieve a three figure majority. The outcome has proven to be very different, with the Tories now facing the prospect of a deal with the DUP to sustain a programme of government.
With Brexit negotiations due to start in ten days’ time, the pressure will be on to secure a workable governing arrangement as soon as possible. It’s no longer certain that the negotiation team that triggered the talks will be in place to carry them out, meaning that the complete picture this morning is unclear and may remain unstable in the short term.
However, at the time of writing it is expected that Theresa May will attempt to enter a confidence and supply arrangement with the DUP to allow her to lead a minority Conservative government.
Headlines
- At 5:33 am the BBC declared the result a hung parliament.
- After the exit poll predicting a hung Parliament was released at 10pm on 8 June, the pound
- fell sharply as markets priced in further uncertainty for the UK economy.
- The Conservatives are on course to win the most seats in the House of Commons but falls short of the 326 needed to win. The Conservatives had 330 seats before Parliament’s
- dissolution and are predicted to end the count on 319.
- Jeremy Corbyn’s supporters turned out in force to deliver an unexpectedly strong showing
- across the country for Labour, to end up with 261 seats thanks to turnout among young
- people and remain supporters.
- In Scotland the SNP lost 21 seats amid a Conservative surge in Scotland, although Labour
- and the Liberal Democrats also gained seats at the SNP’s expense.
- Some of the night’s biggest losses include former First Minister Alex Salmond, Westminster
- leader Angus Robertson and former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.
- Conservative MP Anna Soubry was the first to publicly call for Theresa May to consider
- her positon, describing the election campaign as “dreadful.”
- Turnout was 68.7 per cent.
To read the full overview, please click here.