Boris Johnson is back in Number 10 Downing Street tonight, this time as prime minister of a majority Conservative government, after a notable victory in yesterday’s election, where his party made sweeping gains in England and Wales. The prime minister said he hoped the result would bring ‘closure’ to the Brexit debate and start a process of healing.
The Conservatives have emerged with a majority of 80 seats in the Commons – the party’s biggest since 1987.
But it was a very different story for Labour. It was their worst performance since the 1930s. Jeremy Corbyn says he will not lead Labour into another election but he hasn’t yet announced his plans to step down.
The Liberal Democrats also had a bruising night – their leader Jo Swinson lost her seat to the Scottish National Party. Indeed, across Scotland, the SNP made sweeping gains winning 48 of the 59 seats available. The electoral map of the UK was redrawn overnight.
With all seats declared, this is the state of the parties. The Conservatives have 365 seats; Labour 203; the SNP 48; the Lib Dems 11; the DUP 8; Plaid Cymru 4 ; and other parties 11.
Sophie Raworth presents today’s BBC News at Six and hears from the BBC’s political editor Laura Kuenssberg, political correspondent Alex Forsyth and deputy political editor John Pienaar.
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