Election leaves Britain with hung parliament

Theresa May’s snap election gamble has backfired as Britain this morning is left with a hung parliament.  It appears the Conservatives will scrape back into power, but only as a minority government, possibly propped up by the Democratic Unionists of Northern Ireland. The result dramatically weakens, rather than strengthens, May’s claim to a mandate for setting the terms of Britain’s exit from the European Union

May’s leadership of a now furious Conservative party is under question after a vote that she did not need to call. It is the third time since 2014 that a Conservative prime minister has gambled on a poll: David Cameron’s Scottish and Brexit referendums, and now May’s snap general election. Two out of three times, they have lost the bet.

Labour is rejoicing after picking up several dozen seats following a campaign in which Jeremy Corbyn defied critics of his leadership. Corbyn, speaking in Islington North which he comfortably retained, called for May to resign. “The prime minister called the election because she wanted a mandate. Well the mandate she’s got is lost Conservative seats, lost votes, lost support and lost confidence. I would have thought that is enough for her to go actually.”

May predictably held her seat of Maidenhead but sounded shaky, only able to say that the Conservatives had likely won “the most seats, and probably the most votes”, and would work to ensure “stability”.

In Scotland, the nationalists have suffered, losing seats to Labour and the Conservatives after perhaps too much talk of a second independence referendum. Angus Robertson and former first minister Alex Salmond are among MPs who have lost their seats.

Nick Clegg, the former Lib Dem leader who went into coalition with David Cameron, has been kicked out in Sheffield Hallam, though overall the party made gains and Vince Cable staged a comeback. Clegg, sounding alarmed for Britain’s future, called on incoming members of parliament not to “seek to amplify what divides them” as Britain faces the turmoil and hardship of Brexit.

Support for Ukip collapsed. Leader Paul Nuttall received a pittance of the vote in the Brexit-voting seat of Boston and Skegness that he was trying to win. The party won no seats and lost at least £30,000 in electoral deposits.

It’s going to be a day full of results, analysis, comment and fallout on the Guardian. And to understand it all you need the Snap – read to the bottom to find out how to get it.

Source: Gardian