More Labour gains
When it comes to gains there's no doubt that the trend is favouring the Labour party, and not the Tories as was widely expected.
Labour has taken Battersea, a Tory seat from Financial Secretary Jane Ellison.
And the party is hopeful of more wildcard wins.
Labour now think they can win back Morley
— Ross Hawkins (@rosschawkins) June 9, 2017
Corbyn 'changed politics for the better'
Jeremy Corbyn has issued a statement as the prospect of his prime ministership can't be completely ruled out, approaching 2am in Britain.
"Whatever the final result, our positive campaign has changed politics for the better," he said.
Whatever the final result, our positive campaign has changed politics for the better. pic.twitter.com/EHLta2rnIW
— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) June 9, 2017
Betfair said Corybn is now favourite to become PM.
#GE2017 Jeremy Corbyn now favourite to become PM & pull off the biggest upset in political betting history.https://t.co/DhsKIz0mPB pic.twitter.com/TuczDK3gDW
— Betfair Exchange (@BetfairExchange) June 9, 2017
Ruth Davidson 'voteshare up by 10 per cent'
The Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson is indisputably one of British politics rising stars. She played a prominent role in the EU referendum campaign and her star has continued to shine since then.
Of course she is up against Britain's most formidable female politician First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
As we've discussed earlier in the blog, the SNP's stranglehold on just about all of Westminster's Scottish seats was never sustainable but Davidson appears to suggest the tories are doing better than even she hoped.
First few results declared in Scotland. Not our targets, but voteshare up by over 10% in each - well done @Harper4KandL! https://t.co/tN9h3uvfiu
— Ruth Davidson (@RuthDavidsonMSP) June 9, 2017
Another seat where @ScotTories vote share has more than doubled. Good job, @annmleblond ! https://t.co/W2X60ztNK1
— Ruth Davidson (@RuthDavidsonMSP) June 9, 2017
Tom Watson returned - savages Theresa May
The popular Labour Deputy Leader Tom Watson has been re-relected in West Bromwich East which voted Leave.
He gave a speech savaging the prime minister and said while we don't yet know how the election will turn out, Theresa May is a "damaged prime minister whose reputation may never recover."
He condemned her for running a "negative, pessimistic and defensive campaign."
"It looks to be a very, very bad result for Theresa May."
"She said she was strong and stable, the public saw that she was weak and wobbly," he said.
Early in the campaign, Tory MPs were talking of taking Tom Watson's seat... God how wrong it's all gone for them. #GE2017
— Jessica Elgot (@jessicaelgot) June 9, 2017
Labour increases vote in marginal Tooting
London is telling quite the story.
Tooting was held by Sadiq Khan who quit to become Labour mayor of London.
Rosena Allin-Khan has increased Labour's margin by 12 per cent compared with 2015.
Wow: Labour's vote increases in Tooting from 17,894 in by-election less than a year ago 34,694 tonight. Was 25,263 in 2015
— Jon Stone (@joncstone) June 9, 2017
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Scottish Labour makes a gain
Scottish Labour has taken Rutherglen and Hamilton West from the Scottish National Party who have reigned supreme in Scotland since 2015 when they won 56 of 59 seats.
Holding onto that sort of majority was always going to be a big task and the first in what is expected to be a series of SNP seats has fallen.
That was a 17.3% SNP majority Labour have just toppled...bigger than in likes of Paisley & Renfrewshire South, East Lothian, Ed South West
— Philip Sim (@BBCPhilipSim) June 9, 2017
First results in Wales
Labour hold Llanelli as well as Wrexham.
When I was last at Parliament before it rose for the election Labour MPs were morose, some had been crying I was told. The Member for Wrexham was pointed out to me as one MP who would likely not be returning to Westminster.
Not so...
Conservatives fail to gain Wrexham. This shows their Biggest Majority plan is looking increasingly unattainable. #GE2017
— Robert Nisbet (@RobNisbetSky) June 9, 2017
Telegraph: May in trouble with MPs. Buzzfeed: Boris manoeuvring
Britain's Telegraph reports MPs are briefing against the Prime minister and that Theresa May is in trouble.
Ministers are briefing against the Prime Minister. Ranks are breaking. Join us in 2 mins for details. #GE2017
— Tim Stanley (@timothy_stanley) June 8, 2017
And BuzzFeed UK reports Boris Johnson is already making a move.
Boris Johnson is "already on manoeuvres" claims Tory MP, who says the foreign secretary is "sounding out" a few colleagues about leadership.
— Jim Waterson (@jimwaterson) June 8, 2017
Results: Darlington 'massive for Labour'
We've got an important result in a bellwether - Darlington.
The Conservatives were hoping to win this constituency and indeed that would have been a sign of a May landslide but Labour has held on.
Darlington: Labour 22,681 UP 5,000. Tories 19,401. UP 5,000. LABOUR HOLD.
— Tom McTague (@TomMcTague) June 8, 2017
Darlington is massive for Labour. Massive
— Tim Shipman (@ShippersUnbound) June 8, 2017
'There will be a huge post-mortem'
A very interesting set of comments from George Osborne, the former chancellor and now editor of London's Evening Standard.
On ITV's election night coverage, he's said he doesn't think there will be any appetite for a leadership contest if the result doesn't go the Tories' way, but he does suggest blood will be spilled over the disastrous Tory manifesto and the decision to call the early election.
Osborne: 'Huge post-mortem' due on Tory campaign #GE2017 pic.twitter.com/PU5tPCtqdy
— ITV News (@itvnews) June 8, 2017
First Tory scalp and Nick Clegg in trouble
We're starting to see some high-profile casualties.
The BBC's Laura Kuenssberg says the conservatives have lost Battersea - held by the Treasury Minister Jane Ellison.
Tory sources say Jane Ellison has lost Battersea
— Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) June 8, 2017
We've already marked Home Secretary Amber Rudd's seat of Hasting & Rye as a seat to watch and fears are growing for the up-and-coming minister's fortunes.
Sounds like Rudd and also Jane Ellison in Battersea both likely to lose out - two ministers losing their seats
— Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) June 8, 2017
And Nick Clegg of the Liberal Democrats appears in trouble.
Lib Dem source at Clegg's count says he has lost
— Tim Shipman (@ShippersUnbound) June 8, 2017
'We're seeing a return to two-party politics'
Trade Secretary Liam Fox is back on the airwaves. (We discussed his absence earlier in the blog.)
He says the collapse in support for minor parties, particularly UKIP, shows a return to two-party politics.
He has backed Theresa May's "very brave decision" to call the election, despite signs it could backfire on the Tories.
But...
Asked to guarantee Theresa May will not have to resign, Liam Fox said: "It's very early in the evening and we'll have to wait and see"
— Sam Coates Times (@SamCoatesTimes) June 8, 2017
Fly v BBC's Dimbles
I present David Dimbleby v studio fly. (It's Antony Green v his computer all over again!)
Anyone got a fly swatter? David Dimbleby needs one in the studio! https://t.co/YMVJP13SGk #BBCelection #GE2017 pic.twitter.com/tLv6RDcuoy
— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) June 8, 2017
Labour could win in well-heeled Kensington
Many of London's uber wealthy live in the Chelsea and Kensington area so this tweet from Paul Waugh, a Huffington Post journo very well connected with Labour types, would be huge if true.
Lab gain in Kensington & Chelsea now expected, source on ground says.
— Paul Waugh (@paulwaugh) June 8, 2017
That's KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA, people.
If only Portillo was still MP.
That's one of the seats in YouGov model that I thought made it look wrong. https://t.co/MNVItEZrBg
— John Rentoul (@JohnRentoul) June 8, 2017
'We could form the next government' Labour
The shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry has told the BBC that Labour could form the next government and has called on Prime Minister Theresa May to resign.
That's despite the exit poll showing the conservatives would still be the largest party in the Parliament, even without a majority.
"The exit poll seems to indicate that no party will have an overall majority so it's possible that we will form the next government," she said.
But she said there would be "no coalition, no deals" and it would be up to the other parties to support Labour's Queen's speech.
"Labour could form the next government" but there will be "no coalition and no deals" says Emily Thornberryhttps://t.co/YMVJP13SGk #GE2017 pic.twitter.com/YZGSgFp2m3
— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) June 8, 2017
'Gone a bit X Files'
The BBC's David Dimbleby (he's the UK's version of Antony Green) says he can't remember so few results by midnight, as it's just gone in Britain.
And anyone care to speculate what "gone a bit X Files" means? We're not sure either, Jessica.
Senior Labour source says it has gone a bit X Files. Anyone got any idea what that means??
— Jessica Elgot (@jessicaelgot) June 8, 2017
Results: Newcastle upon Tyne East, Swindon
Labour has held onto the constituency of Newcastle-upon-Tyne-East and the Tories hold Swindon North.
However, the result in Swindon is actually better for Labour than the exit poll.
Swindon north result has the collapse in Ukip vote going predominantly to Labour -and this is more in line with exit poll. Though Tory hold.
— Faisal Islam (@faisalislam) June 8, 2017
Financial Times: May gamble on election set to backfire
It's a similar take across Britain's newspapers, focusing on Mrs May's "gamble" to call the election - she said she wouldn't call - early.
FT SECOND EDITION: May gamble on election set to backfire, according to exit polls #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/4Dya6tjfhj
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) June 8, 2017
Hung parliament puts Brexit negotiations in doubt
The prospect of a hung Parliament will throw serious doubt over Brexit negotiations, due to begin in earnest in just 11 days.
The EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has set June 19 as his favoured date for the start of talks, due to last around 14-18 months.
But Brussels officials have indicated that the date is not set in stone, meaning it could be delayed to take account of any change in the UK Government.
What cannot easily be delayed, however, is the date of Britain's departure from the EU, which is due to take place exactly two years after the triggering of the Article 50 Brexit process on March 29 2019, whether or not a withdrawal deal has been reached.
Protracted negotiations over the formation of a new government - or even a second general election in 2017 - could put back the start of formal talks, squeezing even further the limited time available to forge a complex withdrawal agreement and a separate deal on future trade arrangements.
Press Association
![Some of Theresa May's supporters were initially predicting a landslide victory with a majority of perhaps 150 seats, but ...](http://web.archive.org./web/20170609011307im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/w/n/a/n/f/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gwnrv4.png/1496962546871.jpg)
Exit poll 'bollocks'
There's a growing confidence in Tory ranks that the exit poll, which doesn't include postal votes, is wrong and a majority is still within Theresa May's reach.
Senior Tory seeking re-election says the #exitpoll is "bollocks" expects Tory majority of 30-40 #ge2017
— Simon Dedman (@SiDedman) June 8, 2017
If if if exit poll right there will hv to hv bn big swing to lab in south Looks like tories will hv maj
— Philip Webster (@Pwebstertimes) June 8, 2017
Wow. Peter Kellner says that if the exit poll is as wrong as the first two results indicate, the Tories could be heading for a 100 majority.
— Kevin Schofield (@PolhomeEditor) June 8, 2017
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