Who will be the next Prime Minister? Exit poll predicts Boris Johnson's Conservatives will win the General Election
Boris Johnson is set to gain a Conservative majority of the like not seen since Margaret Thatcher was in power, according to the general election exit poll.
The forecast puts the Tories on 368, Labour on 191 and the Lib Dems on 13.
If that proves to be correct, Mr Johnson will remain prime minister, with a clear majority to push through his Brexit plans.
It would prove a major victory for the Conservatives, marking their biggest win since 1987 when Ms Thatcher led the party, and would vindicate the PM's decision to push for the vote.
There would be 282 other seats split up between non-Conservatives - giving the Tories 86 more seats than all of the other representatives put together.
In contrast, it would be Labour's worst result since 1935.
The poll comes from data collected by broadcasters.
Mr Johnson tweeted: "Thank you to everyone across our great country who voted, who volunteered, who stood as candidates. We live in the greatest democracy in the world."
Thank you to everyone across our great country who voted, who volunteered, who stood as candidates. We live in the greatest democracy in the world. pic.twitter.com/1MuEMXqWHq
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson)
James Cleverly was cautious on celebrating early and the Conservative Party chairman told Sky the poll "should be taken with a pinch of salt".
"I've been cautious of results when they look good, I'm cautious of results when they look not so good," he told Sky.
Mr Johnson entered the election without a majority and had 298 Tory MPs, while Labour, who had 243 MPs when Parliament was dissolved last month, is forecast to have lost 52 seats.
Labour's Barry Gardiner said the exit poll is a "devastating blow".
He told Sky: "It doesn't look good."
While shadow chancellor John McDonnell said he felt the projection was indicative of the vote having been "dominated by the Brexit issue".
He told the BBC: "I hate to use the expression, I think they probably did want to get it done, and that’ll be it.”
A Conservative spokesman said voters had "rejected Labour's fudge on Brexit".
He said: “This is a projection, not a result, it’s important we wait to see the actual results when they come in. What we do know is that voters have rejected Labour’s fudge on Brexit.
"We needed this election because parliament was doing all it could to frustrate the will of the people."
