With Theresa May appearing to indicate that she is preparing for the possibility of a hung parliament, it seems her massive gamble on a snap election has backfired sensationally.
After going into the June 8 poll on the back of opinion polls suggesting she was heading for a substantially increased majority, Mrs May has lost two ministers, including the author of her manifesto, among a string of Conservative casualties.
The news was just as bad for the SNP and their plans for a second independence referendum have suffered a major setback as the party saw dramatic losses in the General Election, with former first minister Alex Salmond and depute leader Angus Robertson amongst those ousted.
Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party made gains (Dominic Lipinski/PA)
Prime Minister Theresa May and her husband Philip arrive at Conservative Party HQ (PA)
Liberal Democrats leader Tim Farron speaks at Kendal Leisure Centre in Cumbria, after he held his seat in the constituency of Westmorland and Lonsdale from candidates including a man dress as a fish finger (Danny Lawson/PA)
Labour’s Carolyn Harris speaks after winning the Swansea East seat (Ben Birchall/PA)
Margaret Ritchie (centre), SDLP candidate for South Down lost her seat (Brian Lawless/PA)
Sir Vince Cable is congratulated by his wife Rachel after being re-elected as the MP for Twickenham (John Stillwell/PA)
Labour’s Bridget Phillipson (centre) won the first seat that was declared (Nigel Roddis/PA)
Exit poll result were beamed onto BBC Broadcasting House (Jeff Overs/BBC/PA)
Election staff count ballot papers at Omagh Leisure Complex in Omagh (Liam McBurney//PA)
Election staff count ballot papers in Islington, north London (Dominic Lipinski/PA)
Police on duty at the count at Brangwyn Hall in Swansea (Ben Birchall/PA)
Counting staff verify voting papers at Birmingham’s International Convention Centre (Matthew Cooper/PA)
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