The general elections ended up with an unexpected and extraordinary outcome. It was supposed to be the election to consolidate and strengthened Prime Minister Theresa May’s mandate. It was the Brexit Election.
Prime Minister May suffered a reversal of fortune as her Conservative Party failed to win a parliamentary majority in an election she risked her political fortunes on, by calling for snap election three years earlier.
With the results so far in, the Conservatives Party lost 12 seats as they garner 317. The Labour Party gained 29 seats to get 261 seats in parliament. The Scottish National Party (SNP) has 35 seats, Liberal Democrats 12, Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) 10 and others 13.
Analyst predicted that May’s failure to win a majority calls into question her position as Conservative Party leader with the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn calling for her resignation.
Labour Party led by Jeremy Corbyn could add to the political deadlock by forming a coalition with smaller parties which strongly oppose PM May’s policies. The result also plunges Britain into a period of renewed political chaos, with Brexit talks likely to be delayed and May's personal authority shredded.
Britain's exit from the EU has been plunged into uncertainty. Theresa May has not secured the clear mandate that she sought for her version of a hard Brexit.
It will now be difficult for the government - whatever shape that government will be - to start talking to the EU in nine days' time as planned without rethinking its strategy.
If the Tories form a minority government, Theresa May could start negotiations but she might have to water down her plans if she wanted to get any Brexit-related legislation through the House of Commons, where she will need the support of other parties.
The exit poll sent shockwaves through financial markets. Sterling, which had hit a two-week high of $1.2978 in morning trade after earlier polls had suggested a Conservative victory, dived to around $1.2780.
The Prime Minister called what she thought would be a Brexit-focused election, but the issue was quickly overshadowed by security as two deadly terror attacks, in Manchester and London, struck during the campaign period.
The attacks only put May under more scrutiny for national security decisions she made during her tenure as Home Secretary, a role she held for six years in the government of her predecessor, David Cameron.
The attacks triggered a heated debate on whether the police are well funded to deal with terror threats. Police numbers across the UK were cut by 20,000 under May's watch as Home Secretary.
