UK Election: 'Let's get to work' Theresa May forms minority government

And after 22 hours live-blogging that's a wrap from me. 

I hope you continue to enjoy our coverage online and in coming weeks as we watch the fallout from and make sense of this spectacular result. 

It's been an absolute pleasure bringing you such a fascinating election result and thank you, as always, for your readership. 

Latika.

DUP leader Arlene Foster has made a short statement in Northern Ireland.

DUP leader Arlene Foster arrives for a press conference on June 9, 2017 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Photo: Charles McQuillan

She says the 10 elected MPs will work for Northern Ireland but stresses for "all" the United Kingdom.

She cites terrorism, uncertainty at Westminster and Brexit as issues of high priority. 

She said Prime Minister Theresa May called her this morning and the DUP will enter into talks to explore how it may be possible to bring stability to the UK.

Nice digest from Politico about where Theresa May went wrong.

Interesting snapshot of the policy positions of the DUP - the party propping up Theresa May, who described the unionists as the conservatives "friends and allies."

Buzzfeed

Unite leader Len McCluskey says the result was an "absolute vindication" of Jeremy Corbyn's leadership. 

He denied BBC interviewer Andrew Neil's statement that the Labour party lost.

"Did we really? No I think the truth of the matter is that the Labour party and Jeremy Corbyn won millions of votes."

McCluskey predicts another election soon, saying prime minister May can't continue in her precarious political state.

McCluskey was forced to retract his election campaign prediction that Labour would only win 200 seats and that that would be a good result.  

Theresa May's statement "Now let's get to work" was vintage steely, determined May. 

But there's no doubt she re-enters 10 Downing a diminished figure and her every mistake could easily morph into a leadership issue.

feel dead inside? don't worry, so does everyone in No 10 pic.twitter.com/9SFNdxwQA4

Brexit talks are likely to be delayed the shape of the UK's exit from the European Union looks like could be radically changed. 

Good read from Bloomberg.

Something you might have missed in the flurry of results is the record number of  200 women MPs elected to Britain's parliament. 

The Telegraph

Just in from 10 Downing - Theresa May's statement declaring she will reform government, after the hung parliament result. 

Theresa May outside number 10 Downing Street in London. Photo: Simon Dawson

I have just been to see Her Majesty the Queen, and I will now form a government – a government that can provide certainty and lead Britain forward at this critical time for our country.   This Government will guide the country through the crucial Brexit talks that begin in just 10 days and deliver on the will of the British people by taking the United Kingdom out of the European Union.   It will work to keep our nation safe and secure by delivering the change that I set out following the appalling attacks in Manchester and London – cracking down on the ideology of Islamist extremism and all those who support it. And giving the police and the authorities the powers they need to keep our country safe.   

Prime Minister Theresa May with her husband Philip arrives at Buckingham Palace to seek the Queen's permission to form a UK government. Photo: WPA Pool

The Government I lead will put fairness and opportunity at the heart of everything we do, so that we fulfil the promise of Brexit together and - over the next five years - build a country in which no one and no community is left behind.   A country in which prosperity and opportunity are shared right across this United Kingdom.   What the country needs more than ever is certainty, and having secured the largest number of votes and the greatest number of seats in the General Election, it is clear that only the Conservative & Unionist Party has the legitimacy and ability to provide that certainty by commanding a majority in the House of Commons.    As we do, we will continue to work with our friends and allies in the Democratic Unionist Party in particular. Our two parties have enjoyed a strong relationship over many years, and this gives me the confidence to believe that we will be able to work together in the interests of the whole United Kingdom.

This will allow us to come together as a country and channel our energies towards a successful Brexit deal that works for everyone in this country – securing a new partnership with the EU which guarantees our long term prosperity   That's what people voted for last June.   That's what we will deliver.   Now let's get to work.                 

British Prime Minister Theresa May addresses the press in Downing street as her husband Philip looks on. Photo: Matt Dunham

Theresa May sounded steelier and much stronger in her speech at 10 Downing, compared to her middle of the night statement at her constituency count. 

But already there are signs the faults that led to this disaster are not being addressed, including a willingness to accept that when things go wrong, change is required. 

Understand the broad message - govt carries on. BUT not even a couple of paragraphs properly acknowledging her failure/reverse? Weird.

She effectively said NOTHING about her failure. Nothing about minority government. Nothing about the trouble she has got herself in

Did anyone tell Theresa May that she lost the election?

"I will now form a government, a government that can provide certainty and lead Britain forward."

She says the government will guide the UK through the Brexit talks which will go ahead as scheduled. Crucially she says Brexit will go ahead.

"We will fulfil the promise of Brexit together," she said at 10 Downing.

I will form a government to "provide certainty and lead Britain forward" - Theresa May https://t.co/8xOR0z6PJc #bbcelection #GE2017 pic.twitter.com/GPFYj5GxH5

She confirmed the DUP would prop up her government. "We will continue to work with our friends in the DUP party in particular," she said.

"Now let's get to work," she said. 

She did not take any questions.

Theresa May has spent about twenty minutes visiting the Queen at Buckingham Palace seeking permissions to form a minority government.

Theresa May is on her way to Buckingham Palace pic.twitter.com/plxXlIfS1l

As she exited, she was asked by journalists 'is this strong and stable prime minister?' 

This refers to her much-derided slogan promising to provide 'strong and stable' leadership. 

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says the hung parliament result shows hard Brexit is an option that has been rejected. 

She is appealing for a cross-party coalition to keep Britain inside the single market. 

.@NicolaSturgeon warns hard #Brexit "must be abandoned" & urges MPs to help her keep UK in single market https://t.co/CVzlEK3svs #GE2017 pic.twitter.com/XPvlimUi9G

Sarah Woollaston, another outspoken Tory MP, has taken to Twitter to call for a radical re-drawing of the prime minister's team.(@sarahwollaston) June 9, 2017

2. Fox hunting & changes to social care were turning points in how people felt about the PM in highly personalised campaign

3. Hope we never again have such a negative campaign. The public just don't want US-style attack politics

4. I cannot see how the inner circle of special advisers can continue in post. Needs to be far more inclusive in future

Corbyn stuns May. And finishes her career Guardian fourth edition front page pic.twitter.com/S0sGI6KwRX

Former Chancellor George Osborne is clearly taking delight in the pain he can inflict on his former colleagues as editor of the Evening Standard.

Here's @Adamstoon1 view on Mrs May's election result @EveningStandard pic.twitter.com/iQ4NXvZZ8A

Steven Swinford over at Britain's Telegraph reports that Eurosceptic MPs are already threatening Theresa May's leadership if she does not deliver a so-called Hard Brexit. 

Which brings us to Theresa May's original reasons for calling this early election in the first place. 

While she publicly postured that is was about Brexit being held up by the pesky Parliament, and in particular those unelected Lords, it was actually aimed at trying to dilute the internal strength of those said Eurosceptics. 

Take this story by Sky News' Beth Rigby anlaysing the positions of the Tories being preselected which found they were overwhelmingly pro-soft Brexit.

Now that May's attempt to give herself some wriggle room inside her own party has failed, she is more exposed than ever to the Eurosceptics. And given her minority government is likely to be propped up by the soft-Brexit DUP party from Northern Ireland, this sets up an incredibly tense and potentially unstable situation for May's leadership.

Paul Nuttall has quit as UKIP leader after his party failed to win a seat and its share of the vote slid 10.8 per cent. 

UKIP is unlikely to be any sort of force in British politics in the medium-term.

Paul Nuttall resigns as UKIP leader

The irony-meter is peaking. 

Theresa May looks set to cling on to power, possibly thanks to the support of the Democratic Unionist Party in Northern Ireland. 

Sky Sources: DUP will give Theresa May and the Conservatives its backing in Parliament and says there is no need for a formal coalition deal

Obviously one of the first questions to Theresa May will about her warnings that voting for Labour would lead to a 'coalition of chaos.' 

So who are the DUP?  Britian's Telegraph reports the party doesn't want a so-called 'hard Brexit', opposes the Tories plan to means-test fuel payments and were once the largest party in Northern Ireland.

Google said the DUP became the most-searched website online as the results and the prospect of a hung parliament unfolded. 

The DUP is the most searched political party in the UK right now #GE2017 pic.twitter.com/6eMmSekO8H

Former Tory chancellor George Osborne has resumed his editing job at the Evening Standard after a night on ITV New's coverage where he sank the boot into his former colleagues.

And here's our early first edition @EveningStandard - more editions to follow ... pic.twitter.com/qtvI3CJTZR

Here's our second edition @EveningStandard: Orange is the new Blue. More editions to follow pic.twitter.com/Wgs6F7hO9P