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.

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:

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Lizzie Dearden9 June 2017 16:30

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Theresa May has apologised to Conservatives who lost out in last night's election.

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 said.

She added: "What I'm doing today is focusing on forming a government. We're the only party that can form that government."

The televised remarks came after a defiant initial speech in Downing Street earlier on Friday.

Lizzie Dearden9 June 2017 16:34

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Lizzie Dearden9 June 2017 16:35

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Lizzie Dearden9 June 2017 16:48

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Lizzie Dearden9 June 2017 16:49

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This guy placed a jaw-dropping bet thinking the Tories couldn't lose - he was wrongNot many people can lay claim to having had a worse Thursday night than Theresa May, but the gambler who placed a £70,000 bet on a Tory majority is certainly a contender.

Lizzie Dearden9 June 2017 16:50

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The Democratic Unionist Party, whose support looks set to keep Theresa May in Downing Street at least for the time being, are a far-right party with a track record of Donald Trump-style climate change denial.

While the US President has described global warming as a “hoax”, the DUP’s former environment minister once claimed it was a “con”.

In addition to controversial views on science, the DUP is known for its links to Loyalist paramilitary groups, anti-abortion stance and accusations of a prejudiced attitude towards the LGBT community.

Theresa May's new DUP friends are climate change deniers like TrumpThe IndependentThe Democratic Unionist Party, whose support looks set to keep Theresa May in Downing Street at least for the time being, are a far-right party with a track record of Donald Trump-style climate change denial. While the US President has described global warming as a “hoax”, the DUP’s former environment minister once claimed it was a “con”. In addition to controversial views on science, the DUP is known for its links to Loyalist paramilitary groups, anti-abortion stance and accusations of a prejudiced attitude towards the LGBT community.

Lizzie Dearden9 June 2017 17:01

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More here on the Heidi Allen story:

Tory MP becomes first to say Theresa May's time is almost upHeidi Allen has become the first Conservative MP to say publicly that she believes Theresa May will be gone in the next six months. The South Cambridgeshire MP said she does not believe Ms May will remain Prime Minister "indefinitely" and said her premiership may now be a "period of transition" as the country negotiates Brexit.

Lizzie Dearden9 June 2017 17:08

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Lizzie Dearden9 June 2017 17:15

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An announcement from Downing Street on Cabinet posts:

Chancellor Philip Hammond, Home Secretary Amber Rudd, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, Brexit Secretary David Davis and Defence Secretary Michael Fallon will keep their jobs.

"No further appointments will be made this evening," Number 10 said.

Lizzie Dearden9 June 2017 17:22

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