Election 2017 live updates: Theresa May claims Conservative government supported by DUP will provide 'certainty'

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Theresa May has said she will form a Conservative government backed by the DUP, claiming it can bring "certainty" to the UK.

After visiting the Queen, the Prime Minister claimed there was a "strong relationship" between the two parties, amid concern over the DUP's controversial anti-abortion and anti-LGBT policies.

The PM has also apologised to Conservatives who lost last night. She said: "I'm sorry for all those colleagues who lost their seats." She will "reflect on what we need to do in the future to take the party forward" after the result, she added.

The UK voted for a hung parliament after shock losses for the Conservatives in the 2017 general election. With 649 of 650 seats declared, the Tories had 318 seats - eight short of the figure needed to win outright - with Labour on 261, the SNP on 35 and Liberal Democrats on 12.

Jeremy Corbyn's party increase its share of the vote by 9.6 per cent, while the Tories were up 5.5 per cent, the Liberal Democrats, Greens and SNP saw small loses and Ukip's vote collapsed.

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Politicians, voters, and even their pets have been heading to polling stations and are posing for the cameras at every opportunity.

The Prime Minister has made clear that she would rely on the support of the Democratic Unionist Party in order to get her programme through Parliament, despite concern over its stance on issues including equal marriage, abortion and climate change.

Making no allusion to losses suffered by the Conservatives, Ms May said she intended to press ahead with her plans for Brexit.

She faced calls from within her own party to consider her own position after the election, which she brought forward by three years in the hope it would deliver an increased majority in the Commons.

Jeremy Corbyn urged her to resign and allow him to form a minority administration, declaring: “We are ready to serve this country.”

But, after intensive talks with the DUP, the Prime Minister instead drove the short distance to Buckingham Palace to ask the Queen for permission to form a new government.

The final election results came in late on Friday, after Kensington finally declared a Labour win — with a tiny 20-vote majority. They were:

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Treasury minister David Gauke dismissed suggestions that May's authority would be called into question if the exit poll proved to be correct, adding Tory MPs have a "responsibility" to support her.

He told Sky News: "If those projections are right, let's be clear, the Conservative Party would win far more seats than the Labour Party. I haven't seen a share of the vote projection, I'd assume from the numbers we have, we would also have the largest share of the vote.

"So it seems pretty clear Theresa May would continue as Prime Minister. There would be a Conservative minority administration."

He added: "With all those caveats repeated, I think Theresa May continues to be the dominant figure in the Conservative Party.

"She won the party leadership with a massive majority, she is the best qualified person to lead not only the Conservative Party but the country.

"And I think, given we have got really important negotiations beginning in 11 days' time, I think the responsibility of those of us who hope to be elected as Conservative MPs in the next few hours is to continue to support her to deliver the job that we have as a country - which is to get a good Brexit deal."

Kristin Hugo8 June 2017 23:59

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Samuel Osborne8 June 2017 23:59

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The odds on Jeremy Corbyn being the next Prime Minister have been slashedThe odds on Jeremy Corbyn becoming Prime Minister have crashed in to as low as 9-4 with SkyBet upon the release of the exit poll suggesting a hung parliament could be on the way.  Mr Corbyn had drifted out to as long as 12-1 with bookmakers as late opinion polls pointed to a Conservative landslide with campaigning drawing to a close.  The exit poll changed that in a heartbeat, leaving nervous bookies fearing what could yet be the biggest loss in British political betting history, rivalling even the shock election victory of Donald Trump. 

Samuel Osborne9 June 2017 00:00

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Samuel Osborne9 June 2017 00:01

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It seems there is extra security outside Jeremy Corbyn's home in North Islington this evening. 

Kristin Hugo9 June 2017 00:01

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Samuel Osborne9 June 2017 00:04

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This is from the Huffington Post's Paul Waugh - this would be a significant gain for Jeremy Corbyn's party in Malcolm Rifkind's former seat. 

Kristin Hugo9 June 2017 00:05

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Samuel Osborne9 June 2017 00:05

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Before the exit poll was released Ukip spinners were playing down expectations for the party, suggesting nobody believes Paul Nuttall, the party leader would emerge victorious in Boston and Skegness – despite the constituency voting heavily to Leave at last year’s referendum.  “In all seriousness it’s not one of our target seats,” one Ukip source added, suggesting it is a “possibility” the “peculiar” party could win two or three seats.

A senior source also highlighted how the party is, at this election, not standing in dozens of seats it contested at the last election, meaning their vote share would inevitably be lower.

Kristin Hugo9 June 2017 00:07

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Samuel Osborne9 June 2017 00:09

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