Election 2017 live updates: Theresa May claims Conservative government supported by DUP will provide 'certainty'
The Independent will be bringing you all the live updates as the UK's next government is formed
Your support helps us to tell the story
My recent work focusing on Latino voters in Arizona has shown me how crucial independent journalism is in giving voice to underrepresented communities.
Your support is what allows us to tell these stories, bringing attention to the issues that are often overlooked. Without your contributions, these voices might not be heard.
Every dollar you give helps us continue to shine a light on these critical issues in the run up to the election and beyond
Eric Garcia
Washington Bureau Chief
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.
The live blog has now ended
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:
Six ministers have now lost their seats, including: Jane Ellison, Gavin Barwell, Rob Wilson, Ben Gummer, James Wharton, Nicola Blackwood
In Hove, Labour increased their majority of the vote to 18,000 from 1,200.
It is now impossible for the Tory party to win a majority, confirming Britain is heading for a hung parliament.
This is from the Press Association:
The influential ConservativeHome website, edited by former MP Paul Goodman, said the "consensus view" among Tory backbenchers and ministers is that the Prime Minister's authority has "received a blow from which it is unlikely to recover".
Mr Goodman said they believed Mrs May's two closest advisers, joint chiefs of staff Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill "must go" and there could be major changes to the Brexit process, single market membership "may now be on the table", the website said.
He added: "All this, remember, is on the assumption that May somehow gains a working majority, or is Prime Minister in a hung Parliament.
"In the latter circumstance, a second election in the autumn will be likely.
"With the threat of a second election hanging over their heads, Conservative backbenchers would be unlikely to mount a leadership challenge, but May's days as leader would be numbered."
Lee Hardman, a currency analyst at MUFG, tells business editor Josie Cox that the market’s hopes were “pinned firmly on a stronger mandate as the UK Government begins Brexit negotiations”.
“Without question, there is volatility ahead. The market is desperate for any indication of what a Brexit deal might look like,” he writes in a note.
“If negotiations go well, this could translate into a $1.30 to $1.35 range for the pound versus the dollar. But if the market anticipates a hard Brexit, the pound could drop to $1.20 to $1.25 against the dollar.”
“In the immediate term, the pound could fall sharply until there is further clarity, perhaps as low as 0.9150 against the euro. There is plenty of scope for speculators to rebuild short pound positions on the back of heightened fears that a more disorderly Brexit is on the cards.” He says.
Caroline Lucas has held onto her seat of Brighton Pavilion.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments