London: British Prime Minister Theresa May's gamble in calling an early election appeared Friday to have backfired spectacularly, after an exit poll suggested her Conservative Party could lose its majority in Parliament.
If confirmed, the result would lead to a period of political uncertainty and could throw Britain's negotiations to leave the European Union into disarray. The pound lost more than 2 cents against the dollar within seconds of the announcement.
The survey predicted the Conservatives would get 314 of the 650 seats and the Labour Party 266. It projected 34 for the Scottish National Party and 14 for the Liberal Democrats.
Live updates here (IST):
10:49 am: According to Guardian, results of 635 out 650 seats have been declared. Conservatives -- 308, Labour Party -- 259, Liberal Democrats -- 12 Scottish National Party -- 34.
10:30 am: British PM May loses overall majority in British parliament: AFP
9:50 am: Britain’s home secretary Amber Rudd won has narrowly avoided defeat in the general election, holding on to her seat ( Hastings and Rye in southern England ) in Parliament by 346 votes after a recount.
9:48 am: The Liberal Democrats have wrestled Oxford West and Abingdon from the Conservatives – and are into double figures with 11 MPs, reported the Guardian.
9.35 am: Labour Party candidate becomes the first female Sikh Member of Parliament Preeti Kaur Gill from Birmingham Edgbaston.
9.32 am: Labour Party has won back Enfield Southgate, the site of the legendary 1997 Portillo moment, reports the Guardian.
9.30 am: House of Commons gets its first turban wearing Sikh, Labour Party candidate from Slough Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi.
9.24 am: Conservative MP Anna Soubry said UK PM Theresa May should consider her position, according to BBC.
9:00 am: Former Scottish nationalist leader Alex Salmond loses seat in British election.
8.45 am: According to media reports, Conservative Party is now leading with 225 seats, leaving Labour party behind with 222 seats
8.35 am: Narrow margin between Labour Party and Conservatives — 213 and 212 respectively.
8:00 am: Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron re-elected at Westmorland and Lonsdale.
7:55 am: This country needs stability, says Theresa May accompanied by her husband at Maidenhead, where she retained her seat.
7:52 am: Speaking after being re-elected to his London seat, Corbyn said May should “go and make way for a government that is truly representative of this country.”
7:50 am: Corbyn says the result means “politics has changed” and people have rejected Conservative austerity.
7:49 am: British Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn says Prime Minister Theresa May should resign and make way for a new government.
7:30 am: British ex-Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has lost his seat in Parliament, the biggest figure to fall so far in Britain’s surprising election. He lost his Sheffield Hallam seat in northern England to the Labour Party early Friday.
7:00 am: Angus Robertson, who led the SNP in the British parliament, lost to Conservative Douglas Ross in the constituency of Moray in northeast Scotland.
