Getty Images Copyright: Getty Images 
 
 That's all from us for tonight - but before we go, here's a round-up of what's happened in an extraordinary day. 
 
 Election ends in hung Parliament: Conservatives win 318 seats, Labour 262 
 
 Speaking after visiting Buckingham Palace, Theresa May said only her party had the "legitimacy" to govern, despite falling eight seats short of a majority. 
 
 PM confirms five top cabinet posts, including chancellor and foreign secretary 
 
 Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon, Brexit Secretary David Davis, Home Secretary Amber Rudd, Chancellor Philip Hammond and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson all keep their positions. 
 
 Tories to form government with DUP to 'provide certainty' and keep country 'safe' 
 
 It is thought Mrs May will seek some kind of informal arrangement that could see the DUP "lend" its support to the Tories on a vote-by-vote basis, known as "confidence and supply". 
 
 Theresa May's government 'will carry on Brexit negotiations to existing timetable' 
 
 European Council president Donald Tusk has warned the UK that time is running out and there was a risk of a "no deal" outcome as a result of no negotiations taking place. 
 
 Jeremy Corbyn hails Labour's 'incredible result' and calls for May to resign 
 
 He said the PM should "make way" for a government that would be "truly representative of the people of this country" and said Labour was ready to form a minority government of its own. 
 
 The Lib Dems' Tim Farron also calls on May to quit 
 
 The party said Mrs May should be "ashamed" of carrying on. 
 
 SNP will work with others to keep 'reckless' Tories out 'if at all possible' 
 
 The SNP remains the largest party in Scotland but lost 21 seats to the Tories, Labour and the Lib Dems. 
 
 Paul Nuttall resigns as UKIP leader after the party won no seats 
 
 He said it was clear "UKIP requires a new focus and new ideas" but was confident it had a "great future". He also deleted his Twitter and Facebook accounts. 
 
 Follow continuing developments over the weekend here. ||||| Image copyright Getty Images 
 
 The general election has ended in a hung Parliament, where no party has the 326 seats needed to get an overall majority in the House of Commons. 
 
 So what happens now? 
 
 Who is the prime minister? 
 
 Theresa May remains prime minister. She plans to form a minority government, relying on the Democratic Unionist Party for support. 
 
 Does this mean there will definitely be a Conservative government? 
 
 If the DUP supports the Conservatives, then yes, they would together have more than the 326 seats required for a majority to pass a legislative programme. 
 
 The two parties are currently in discussion, DUP leader Arlene Foster said. And the Conservatives, as the government in power before the general election, get the first attempt at forming an administration. 
 
 In theory, if they fail to secure DUP backing, Labour could attempt to form its own minority government. But this is unlikely. 
 
 Image copyright Getty Images 
 
 How do the numbers stack up? 
 
 The Conservatives and the DUP: 328 
 
 Labour, SNP, Lib Dems, Plaid Cymru and Green: 314 
 
 A reminder: The magic number required for a Commons majority is 326. 
 
 Sorry, your browser cannot display this content. Find your constituency and candidates Enter a postcode or seat name Start typing to search Search for constituencies 
 
 How does a minority government actually work? 
 
 If the Conservatives go forward as a minority administration, they will fill all the ministerial positions themselves. 
 
 But they will rely on the support of the DUP to help them pass legislation. 
 
 Key to this is an arrangement called "confidence and supply" whereby the DUP would support the Tories if a vote of no confidence was called and help them to pass their Budget. 
 
 Negotiations would still be needed to prevent ordinary day-to-day government business from being defeated. 
 
 How long will it last? 
 
 Theresa May has said her government will provide "stability" going into Brexit negotiations. And the next general election isn't due until 2022. 
 
 But maintaining party unity and passing the government's bills will be a tricky task with so little room for rebellion - and the DUP are sure to make their own demands in return for propping up Mrs May's government. 
 
 The BBC's Mark D'Arcy predicts a Conservative/DUP alliance faces a "long, precarious high-wire act", which will be "beset by troubles and entanglements at every turn". 
 
 If the government grinds to a halt as a result, another general election could become unavoidable. 
 
 This can only happen if: 
 
 Two-thirds of MPs vote for it. In practice, it would need to be supported by both Labour and the Conservatives. Or: 
 
 MPs pass a motion of no confidence in the government AND an existing or new government cannot win a confidence vote in the Commons within 14 days of the no-confidence vote 
 
 Has minority government happened before? 
 
 Several elections resulted in minority government in the early part of the 20th century. 
 
 Governments have also started out with majorities which were then lost due to by-elections and defections. 
 
 Labour had a majority of three after the 1974 general election - but this had vanished by 1977, and it stayed in power thanks to a "pact" with the Liberal Party. 
 
 And John Major's Conservative government started out with a majority of 21 in 1992 but was a minority government by the 1997 general election. 
 
 When will things be finalised? 
 
 The first deadline is Tuesday 13 June, when the new Parliament meets for the first time. 
 
 Mrs May has until this date to put together a deal to keep herself in power or resign, according to official guidance issued by the Cabinet Office. 
 
 She is entitled to wait until the new Parliament to see if she has the confidence of the House of Commons. 
 
 The government then needs to see if it can assemble the votes it needs to get its programme of proposed new laws passed in the Queen's Speech, which is scheduled for Monday 19 June. 
 
 This is when it will be relying on the DUP's support. 
 
 What about a coalition? 
 
 Image copyright PA Image caption David Cameron and Nick Clegg led a coalition after the 2010 general election 
 
 A coalition is when two or more parties join forces to govern as a single unit. 
 
 The junior partners are given ministerial jobs and a joint programme for government is set out. 
 
 This is what happened in 2010, when the Conservatives and Lib Dems teamed up, but it is unlikely this time given the numbers involved and the parties' statements. 
 
 Labour has ruled one out - and in any case an alliance with the Lib Dems, SNP, Plaid Cymru and Greens would still leave it short of a majority. 
 
 What will happen to the Brexit talks? 
 
 The talks are currently due to begin on 19 June but if it takes a while to form a government it could ask the EU for a delay. 
 
 The EU Parliament's chief negotiator said the outcome "will make already complex negotiations even more complicated". 
 
 What would you like to know about the election results and what happens next? Let us know and the BBC will answer a selection. 
 
 Use this form to ask your question: ||||| Votes cast in the general election are counted in Islington in London, shortly after the polls closed Thursday, June 8, 2017. Exit polls projected that Theresa May's ruling Conservatives would be the... (Associated Press) 
 
 LONDON (AP) — Spectacularly punished by voters who took away her majority in parliament, a politically wounded Theresa May sought to soldier on Friday as Britain's prime minister, resisting pressure to resign after the failure of her high-stakes election gamble made the massive challenge of untangling Britain from the European Union only more complex and uncertain. 
 
 Having called an early election in hopes of getting an increased majority that could have strengthened her hand in Britain's exit talks with the EU, May instead saw her majority evaporate completely — leaving her fortunes hanging by a thread. 
 
 Still, rather than resign, May clung to the hope that her Conservatives might still be able to govern by making deals with another party or group of parties. She was planning to seek Queen Elizabeth II's approval — a largely symbolic step — to form a government later Friday. 
 
 The shock result and the prospect that the EU will now be negotiating with a shaky British government cast dark clouds over the Brexit negotiations just 10 days before they are due to start. The pound lost more than 3 cents against the dollar. 
 
 With 649 of 650 seats in the House of Commons declared, May's bruised Conservatives had 318 seats — short of the 326 they needed for an outright majority and well down from the 330 seats they had before May's roll of the electoral dice. Labour has 261. 
 
 The recriminations were immediate and stinging. 
 
 "This is a very bad moment for the Conservative Party, and we need to take stock," Conservative lawmaker Anna Soubry said. "And our leader needs to take stock as well." 
 
 Left-wing Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who was among those calling on May to resign, said Friday morning that people have had enough of austerity politics and cuts in public spending. He ruled out the potential for deals or pacts with other progressive parties in Parliament. 
 
 "The arguments the Conservative Party put forward in this election have lost, and we need to change." 
 
 The results confounded those who said Corbyn was electorally toxic. Written off by many pollsters, Labour surged in the final weeks of the campaign. It drew strong support from young people, who appeared to have turned out to vote in bigger-than-expected numbers. 
 
 As she was resoundingly re-elected to her Maidenhead seat in southern England, May looked tense and did not spell out what she planned to do. 
 
 "The country needs a period of stability, and whatever the results are the Conservative Party will ensure we fulfill our duty in ensuring that stability," she said. 
 
 Many predicted she would soon be gone. 
 
 "Clearly if she's got a worse result than two years ago and is almost unable to form a government, then she, I doubt, will survive in the long term as Conservative Party leader," former Conservative Treasury chief George Osborne said on ITV. 
 
 British media reported later Friday that May had no intention of resigning. 
 
 The result was bad news for the Scottish National Party, which lost about 20 of its 54 seats. Among the casualties was Alex Salmond, a former first minister of Scotland and one of the party's highest-profile lawmakers. 
 
 The losses complicate the SNP's plans to push for a new referendum on Scottish independence as Britain prepares to leave the EU. Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said the idea of a new independence referendum "is dead. That's what we have seen tonight." 
 
 May had hoped the election would focus on Brexit, but that never happened, as both the Conservatives and Labour said they would respect voters' wishes and go through with the divorce. 
 
 Despite the surprise election result, French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said he doesn't believe voters have changed their minds about leaving. 
 
 But speaking Friday on Europe 1 radio, he said "the tone" of negotiations may be affected. 
 
 "These are discussions that will be long and that will be complex. So let's not kid ourselves," he said. "I'm not sure that we should read, from the results of this vote, that Britons' sovereign decision on Brexit has been cast into doubt in any way." 
 
 EU budget commissioner Guenther Oettinger said the EU is prepared to stick to the timetable that calls for negotiations to start in mid-June, but said it would take a few hours at least to see how the results of the election play out in forming a government. 
 
 "Without a government, there's no negotiation," he said Friday morning by phone on Germany's Deutschlandfunk radio. 
 
 May, who went into the election with a reputation for quiet competence, was criticized for a lackluster campaigning style and for a plan to force elderly people to pay more for their care, a proposal her opponents dubbed the "dementia tax." As the polls suggested a tightening race, pollsters spoke less often of a landslide and raised the possibility that May's majority would be eroded. 
 
 Then, attacks in Manchester and London that killed a total of 30 people brought the campaign to a halt — twice, sent a wave of anxiety through Britain and forced May to defend the government's record on fighting terrorism. Corbyn accused the Conservatives of undermining Britain's security by cutting the number of police on the streets. 
 
 Eight people were killed near London Bridge on Saturday when three men drove a van into pedestrians and then stabbed revelers in an area filled with bars and restaurants. Two weeks earlier, a suicide bomber killed 22 people as they were leaving an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester. 
 
 Voters were left flustered Friday by the fast-moving events. 
 
 "It's a bit of a mess," Peter Morgan, 35, said in London. "I was kind of hoping it would just go the way that the polls suggested it would and we could have a quiet life in Westminster but now it's going to be a bit of a mess." 
 
 Steven Fielding, a professor of politics at the University of Nottingham, said Britain had seen an election "in which the personal authority of a party leader has disappeared in an unprecedented way." 
 
 "If she had got the majority she wanted, she would have been a supreme political colossus," he said. "She did not get that and she's a hugely diminished figure. She's a zombie prime minister." 
 
 ___ 
 
 Gregory Katz, Sophie Berman and Niko Price contributed to this story. ||||| The Democratic Unionist Party, whose controversial policies include blocking gay marriage, could hold the balance of power in the new Parliament. 
 
 The Northern Irish party looks likely to give the Conservatives its support to form a government. 
 
 If it manages to become part of the government and hold it up, however, it may be able to introduce the kinds of policies that have become controversial in Northern Ireland. 
 
 Shape Created with Sketch. UK Election Day 2017 Show all 38 left Created with Sketch. right Created with Sketch. Shape Created with Sketch. UK Election Day 2017 1/38 Door of Number 10 Downing Street is seen on the morning after Britain's election in London REUTERS 2/38 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn leaves his home in north London after he called on the Prime Minister to resign, saying she should "go and make way for a government that is truly representative of this country" PA 3/38 Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell arrives at Labour Headquarters on June 9, 2017 in London, England. After a snap election was called by Prime Minister Theresa May the United Kingdom went to the polls yesterday. The closely fought election has failed to return a clear overall majority winner and a hung parliament has been declared Getty Images 4/38 Caroline Lucas, co-leader of Britain's Green Party, speaks after retaining her seat in the general election, in Brighton REUTERS 5/38 Patrons watch the results for Britain's election in London REUTERS 6/38 Leader of the Liberal democrats Tim Farron celebrates beating Conservative party candidate James Airey (R) following the announcement of the results at the Westmoorland and Lonsdale constituency count at Kendal Leisure Centre on June 9, 2017 in Kendal, United Kingdom. After a snap election was called, the United Kingdom went to the polls yesterday following a closely fought election. The results from across the country are being counted and an overall result is expected in the early hours Getty Images 7/38 Paul Nuttal, leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party reacts after failing to win the seat of Boston and Skegness at the counting centre for Britain's general election in Boston REUTERS 8/38 First Minister Nicola Sturgeon arrives at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, as counting is under way for the General Election. PA 9/38 Anna McMorrin hugs Jo Stevens MP after winning Cardiff North for Labour at the Sport Wales National Centre on June 9, 2017 in Cardiff, United Kingdom. After a snap election was called, the United Kingdom went to the polls yesterday following a closely fought election. The results from across the country are being counted and an overall result is expected in the early hours Getty Images 10/38 Vince Cable wins the Twickenham election for the Liberal Democrats. Richmond and Twickenham election Rex Features 11/38 Britain's Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn rubs his face after arriving for the declaration at his constituency in London AP 12/38 Emily Thornberry speaks after holding her Islington South and Finsbury seat at the Sobell Leisure Centre in Islington, north London PA 13/38 Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May listens as the declaration at her constituency is made for in the general election in Maidenhead, England, Friday, June 9, 2017. British Prime Minister Theresa May's gamble in calling an early election appeared Friday to have backfired spectacularly, after an exit poll suggested her Conservative Party could lose its majority in Parliament AP 14/38 Labour Party candidate Emily Thornberry smiles at a counting centre for BritainâÃÃ´s general election in London REUTERS 15/38 A picture shows the Elizabeth Tower, commonly referred to as Big Ben, and the Houses of Parliament in central London on June 8, 2017, on the night of Britain's general election. Prime Minister Theresa May is poised to win Britain's snap election but lose her parliamentary majority, a shock exit poll suggested on June 8, in what would be a major blow for her leadership as Brexit talks loom AFP/Getty Images 16/38 DUP candidate for Lagan Valley Jeffrey Donaldson celebrates following his election at the Eikon Exhibition Centre in Lisburn as counting is under way for the General Election PA 17/38 Britain's Home Secretary Amber Rudd attends the count for her seat at a counting centre for Britain's general election in Hastings REUTERS 18/38 Ballots are counted at a counting centre for BritainâÃÃ´s general election in London Reuters 19/38 The London Eye is illuminated in blue, representing the Conservative Party, after the first exit polls announced in Britain's general election AP 20/38 Election officials count votes in the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, Scotland EPA 21/38 The London Eye is illuminated in red, the color of the Labour Party, after first exit polls of Britain's national election announced in London AP 22/38 BBC Television centre is illuminated with the exit poll results for Britain’s general election Eddie Keogh/Reuters 23/38 Labour’s Bridget Phillipson (centre) smiles after being announced as the winner of the election for the constituency of Houghton and Sunderland South at a counting centre Reuters 24/38 Members of the election staff prepare to count ballots, in Theresa May’s constituency in Maidenhead AP 25/38 Ballot papers are checked ahead of the count at the Westmoorland and Lonsdale constituency count at Kendal Leisure Centre Getty 26/38 Ballots are counted at a counting centre for Britain’s general election in Kendal Reuters 27/38 Theresa May arrives to vote at a polling station in Maidenhead AP 28/38 Jeremy Corbyn arrives to cast his ballot at a polling station in north London EPA 29/38 Lib Dems leader Tim Farron outside a polling station at Stonecross Manor Hotel in Kendal, Cumbria PA 30/38 The leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party (Ukip) Paul Nuttall arrives to vote at a polling station in Congleton Reuters 31/38 Scottish National Party leader Nicola Sturgeon with her husband Peter Murrell (left) the CEO of the SNP after casting their votes at a polling station at Broomhouse Community Hall, Glasgow, Scotland EPA 32/38 Caroline Lucas, co-leader of Britain’s Green Party, arrives with her husband Richard Savage, to vote in Brighton Reuters 33/38 An advertising van showing caricatures of Tim Farron, Theresa May, Jeremy Corbyn and Paul Nuttall with the message who will be looking for a new job as Britain goes to the polls to elect a new government Rex 34/38 Performers pose with puppet caricatures of Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May, leader of the Liberal Democrat Party Tim Farron and leader of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn, in front of the Palace of Westminster Reuters 35/38 Dogs wait for their owner outside a polling station in Penally, Wales Reuters 36/38 Police officers speak with a Labour Party activist outside a polling station in London AP 37/38 Benedictine nuns from Tyburn Convent leave after voting in Britain's general election at a polling station in St John's Parish Hall, London AP 38/38 A polling station sign is seen on a telephone box outside the polling station at Rotherwick Hall, west of London Getty 1/38 Door of Number 10 Downing Street is seen on the morning after Britain's election in London REUTERS 2/38 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn leaves his home in north London after he called on the Prime Minister to resign, saying she should "go and make way for a government that is truly representative of this country" PA 3/38 Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell arrives at Labour Headquarters on June 9, 2017 in London, England. After a snap election was called by Prime Minister Theresa May the United Kingdom went to the polls yesterday. The closely fought election has failed to return a clear overall majority winner and a hung parliament has been declared Getty Images 4/38 Caroline Lucas, co-leader of Britain's Green Party, speaks after retaining her seat in the general election, in Brighton REUTERS 5/38 Patrons watch the results for Britain's election in London REUTERS 6/38 Leader of the Liberal democrats Tim Farron celebrates beating Conservative party candidate James Airey (R) following the announcement of the results at the Westmoorland and Lonsdale constituency count at Kendal Leisure Centre on June 9, 2017 in Kendal, United Kingdom. After a snap election was called, the United Kingdom went to the polls yesterday following a closely fought election. The results from across the country are being counted and an overall result is expected in the early hours Getty Images 7/38 Paul Nuttal, leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party reacts after failing to win the seat of Boston and Skegness at the counting centre for Britain's general election in Boston REUTERS 8/38 First Minister Nicola Sturgeon arrives at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, as counting is under way for the General Election. PA 9/38 Anna McMorrin hugs Jo Stevens MP after winning Cardiff North for Labour at the Sport Wales National Centre on June 9, 2017 in Cardiff, United Kingdom. After a snap election was called, the United Kingdom went to the polls yesterday following a closely fought election. The results from across the country are being counted and an overall result is expected in the early hours Getty Images 10/38 Vince Cable wins the Twickenham election for the Liberal Democrats. Richmond and Twickenham election Rex Features 11/38 Britain's Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn rubs his face after arriving for the declaration at his constituency in London AP 12/38 Emily Thornberry speaks after holding her Islington South and Finsbury seat at the Sobell Leisure Centre in Islington, north London PA 13/38 Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May listens as the declaration at her constituency is made for in the general election in Maidenhead, England, Friday, June 9, 2017. British Prime Minister Theresa May's gamble in calling an early election appeared Friday to have backfired spectacularly, after an exit poll suggested her Conservative Party could lose its majority in Parliament AP 14/38 Labour Party candidate Emily Thornberry smiles at a counting centre for BritainâÃÃ´s general election in London REUTERS 15/38 A picture shows the Elizabeth Tower, commonly referred to as Big Ben, and the Houses of Parliament in central London on June 8, 2017, on the night of Britain's general election. Prime Minister Theresa May is poised to win Britain's snap election but lose her parliamentary majority, a shock exit poll suggested on June 8, in what would be a major blow for her leadership as Brexit talks loom AFP/Getty Images 16/38 DUP candidate for Lagan Valley Jeffrey Donaldson celebrates following his election at the Eikon Exhibition Centre in Lisburn as counting is under way for the General Election PA 17/38 Britain's Home Secretary Amber Rudd attends the count for her seat at a counting centre for Britain's general election in Hastings REUTERS 18/38 Ballots are counted at a counting centre for BritainâÃÃ´s general election in London Reuters 19/38 The London Eye is illuminated in blue, representing the Conservative Party, after the first exit polls announced in Britain's general election AP 20/38 Election officials count votes in the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, Scotland EPA 21/38 The London Eye is illuminated in red, the color of the Labour Party, after first exit polls of Britain's national election announced in London AP 22/38 BBC Television centre is illuminated with the exit poll results for Britain’s general election Eddie Keogh/Reuters 23/38 Labour’s Bridget Phillipson (centre) smiles after being announced as the winner of the election for the constituency of Houghton and Sunderland South at a counting centre Reuters 24/38 Members of the election staff prepare to count ballots, in Theresa May’s constituency in Maidenhead AP 25/38 Ballot papers are checked ahead of the count at the Westmoorland and Lonsdale constituency count at Kendal Leisure Centre Getty 26/38 Ballots are counted at a counting centre for Britain’s general election in Kendal Reuters 27/38 Theresa May arrives to vote at a polling station in Maidenhead AP 28/38 Jeremy Corbyn arrives to cast his ballot at a polling station in north London EPA 29/38 Lib Dems leader Tim Farron outside a polling station at Stonecross Manor Hotel in Kendal, Cumbria PA 30/38 The leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party (Ukip) Paul Nuttall arrives to vote at a polling station in Congleton Reuters 31/38 Scottish National Party leader Nicola Sturgeon with her husband Peter Murrell (left) the CEO of the SNP after casting their votes at a polling station at Broomhouse Community Hall, Glasgow, Scotland EPA 32/38 Caroline Lucas, co-leader of Britain’s Green Party, arrives with her husband Richard Savage, to vote in Brighton Reuters 33/38 An advertising van showing caricatures of Tim Farron, Theresa May, Jeremy Corbyn and Paul Nuttall with the message who will be looking for a new job as Britain goes to the polls to elect a new government Rex 34/38 Performers pose with puppet caricatures of Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May, leader of the Liberal Democrat Party Tim Farron and leader of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn, in front of the Palace of Westminster Reuters 35/38 Dogs wait for their owner outside a polling station in Penally, Wales Reuters 36/38 Police officers speak with a Labour Party activist outside a polling station in London AP 37/38 Benedictine nuns from Tyburn Convent leave after voting in Britain's general election at a polling station in St John's Parish Hall, London AP 38/38 A polling station sign is seen on a telephone box outside the polling station at Rotherwick Hall, west of London Getty 
 
 That has included moves by the party to oppose the introduction of same sex marriage in Northern Ireland, as well as lifting the ban on abortion. Those laws have been in place across the rest of the UK, but the DUP has helped block them in Northern Ireland in recent years. 
 
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 Leader Arlene Foster all but confirmed that the DUP would never join a coalition with Labour. She said that she had “always said” the party would find it hard to work with Jeremy Corbyn. 
 
 The party, alongside Sinn Fein, has made strong gains in the election at the expense of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) and the Alliance Party. 
 
 The DUP replaced the SDLP in South Belfast, wrested back South Antrim from the Ulster Unionist Party and saw off the challenge of the Alliance Party and Sinn Fein in East and North Belfast respectively. 
 
 With speculation the DUP could hold an influential position in Westminster, party leader Arlene Foster declared it a “good night for the Union”. 
 
 She said: “We’ll wait to hear what the results actually are, but we are very pleased with the way in which people have reacted to the positive message of the campaign – it was about the Union, the importance of the Union, and unionists have really come out in their numbers. 
 
 “We fought this election on the importance of the Union and I think people really responded to that.” 
 
 
 
 The Independent has launched its #FinalSay campaign to demand that voters are given a voice on the final Brexit deal. 
 
 
 
 Sign our petition here ||||| LONDON Prime Minister David Cameron's Conservatives are on track to govern Britain for another five years even though they are likely to fall just short of an outright majority at Thursday's election, an exit poll showed. 
 
 The poll gave the Conservatives 316 of 650 seats in the lower house of parliament and the main opposition Labour Party 239. If accurate, that would be one of centre-left Labour's worst ever results. 
 
 Conservative government minister Michael Gove said that if the exit poll proved correct "the Conservatives have clearly won this election". 
 
 Such a result means Britain is likely to face a historic in-out European Union membership referendum in the next two years and that billions of pounds will be cut from government spending to eliminate the budget deficit in the world's fifth largest economy. 
 
 Sterling jumped to a one-week high after the poll. The pound GBP=D4 jumped nearly 2 U.S. cents to $1.5430 in early Australasian trade, hitting its strongest since April 30. 
 
 UK election exit polls have a good track record but the large number of parties competing this time has raised the potential for error. It will be well into Friday before final results are announced. 
 
 The poll, conducted for Britain's national broadcasters, suggests Cameron will have multiple options to form a government, perhaps with the support of either the Liberal Democrats, his current coalition partners, or Northern Irish unionists or both. He could also try and go it alone. 
 
 STUNNING SCOTTISH FORECAST 
 
 The same poll said the Scottish National Party (SNP) would win 58 of Scotland's 59 seats, all but wiping Labour out in its former stronghold. 
 
 Opponents fear the SNP is preparing to use an emphatic win to renew its push for an independence referendum even though it lost such a plebiscite only last year. 
 
 SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon said the exit poll's prediction should be treated with huge caution. But even if the final tally is a little lower it would still be the nationalists' best result in a UK-wide election by a huge margin. 
 
 The centrist Liberal Democrats, who have governed in coalition with the Conservatives for the past five years, will finish with just 10 seats, the exit poll said. If confirmed, that would represent a disaster for leader and deputy prime minister Nick Clegg. 
 
 The UK Independence Party, which wants an immediate British withdrawal from the EU and enjoyed a poll surge last year, was on track to get just two seats. 
 
 A separate poll of Britons who had already voted by YouGov extrapolated a more even result however, putting the Conservatives on 284 seats and Labour on 263, the Liberal Democrats on 31 and the Scottish Nationalists on 48. 
 
 Before the election, opinion polls had shown the Conservatives and Labour neck-and-neck, leaving that industry facing a potential inquest. 
 
 If the main exit poll is accurate, Cameron's position as Conservative leader, which had been looking shaky before the election, would be secure. By exceeding expectations he could expect to quell dissent within his party. 
 
 Conversely, the result would be a crushing defeat for Labour and Ed Miliband, its leader. 
 
 Even if the centre-left party got together with the left-leaning Scottish nationalists and the Greens the exit poll suggested it would still be well short of the 326 seats needed for a majority in parliament. 
 
 Miliband, who was widely perceived to have performed better in the campaign than expected, would be likely to come under pressure to step down as leader. 
 
 The country's mostly right-wing press has long criticised him for being socially-awkward and presiding over what it has described as a dangerous lurch to the left. 
 
 Cameron has pledged to eliminate Britain's budget deficit, now running at 5 percent of gross domestic product, by 2018/19, including through cuts to welfare spending of 12 billion pounds ($18.3 billion). 
 
 (Additional reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; Writing by Andrew Osborn. Editing by Mike Peacock)
– Theresa May appears set to stay on as prime minister despite the spectacular failure of her attempt to increase the Conservative Party's majority with an early election in the UK. The BBC reports that May, whose party lost 12 seats in Parliament, leaving it without the majority needed to govern alone, is planning to form a government with Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party. With 326 seats needed to form a majority, the DUP's 12 seats would give 330 or 331 votes on legislation, depending on how the final undeclared race turns out. The opposition Labour Party says it is also ready to form a minority government, though there is little chance of it forming a coalition with 326 seats. The latest: Sources tell the Guardian that May has cut a deal with the DUP and will meet with the Queen Friday afternoon to confirm her plan for a new government. "We want there to be a government. We have worked well with May. The alternative is intolerable," a DUP source says, adding that the party will try to ensure there is a Conservative prime minister as long as leftist Jeremy Corbyn leads the Labour Party. Other sources, however, tell the BBC that the DUP is still examining the "messy" situation and talk of a coalition is premature. Corbyn's Labour Party came second, but vastly outperformed expectations by picking up dozens of seats and denying May a majority, reports the Washington Post. "The prime minister called the election because she wanted a mandate," Corbyn told supporters, urging May to step down. "Well, the mandate she’s got is lost Conservative seats, lost votes, lost support, and lost confidence." The surprise result cast doubt both on the Brexit negotiations, which are scheduled to start in just 10 days, and on plans for a second referendum on Scottish independence, the AP reports. The pro-independence Scottish National Party lost 20 of its 54 seats. Paul Nuttall, leader of the pro-Brexit UKIP party, resigned after losing the party's only seat in Parliament. He told supporters the party has a "great future" as the "guard dogs of Brexit." The results in full can be shown here. UKIP's share of the vote is down more than 10% since the 2015 election, which resulted in gains for both Labour and the Conservatives. The Independent looks at the DUP and the implications of the small party holding the balance of power. In Northern Ireland, the party has fought hard to block same-sex marriage and the lifting of the ban on abortion.