London Prime Minister David Cameron’s Conservatives are set to govern Britain for another five years but fall just short of an outright majority, an exit poll showed, a result likely to trigger an in-out EU membership referendum.
Ed Miliband, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, all but conceded defeat on Friday morning, saying he was “deeply sorry” for a “very disappointing and difficult night”. Cameron said he hoped to form a government in the coming days after his party enjoyed what he described as a “very strong night”.
With nearly three quarters of seats counted, the Conservatives had won 203 of 650 seats with an exit poll suggesting they were on track to win 316 seats in the lower house of parliament, just shy of a majority but with ample options to form a government.
Some pollsters said an overall Conservative majority could not be ruled out and the latest BBC projection suggested Cameron`s party could win as many as 325 seats. In practice, controlling 323 seats in parliament is enough to command a majority as four lawmakers from Northern Ireland`s Sinn Fein refuse to take their places.
The UK Independence Party, which wants an immediate British withdrawal from the EU, was on track to get two seats at best amid speculation that Nigel Farage, its leader, would fail to be elected and therefore have to step down.
Before the election, opinion polls had shown the Conservatives and Labour neck-and-neck, leaving that industry facing a potential inquest.
Labour leader Miliband, who was widely perceived to have performed better in the campaign than expected, is likely to come under pressure to step down in the coming hours. Indeed if the exit poll is right, three of Britain`s political parties could soon be looking for a new leader.
Bureau Report
Leave a Reply