WITH FIENDS LIKE THESE
Gerry Adams congratulates Corbyn after shock election result – but won’t do a deal with Labour
SINN Fein leader Gerry Adams congratulated his old comrade Jeremy Corbyn last night after a shock exit poll sparked Tory jitters — but he ruled out helping him into Number 10.
The republican head honcho said Labour had fought "a very very good campaign", but denied his party would break with anti-London tradition by taking seats in Westminster.
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Bearded Adams, 68, a notorious anti-British figure with lifelong ties to the IRA, said: "Jeremy Corbyn has done remarkably well".
But he said: "If we are privileged enough for our candidates to be returned as MPs it will be on the basis that we are not going to take our seats in Westminster".
Labour would need to rely on support from smaller parties to form a coalition of chaos to get Corbyn into power.
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Jezza spoke at several pro-Republican rallies in his three-decade career as a backbencher.
And he invited a Sinn Fein delegation including Adams to parliament during the height of the Troubles.
Arriving at a counting hall in Belfast last night, Adams told the BBC: "I think it's very interesting that Jeremy Corbyn did so well.
"He fought a very very good campaign."
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He later told ITV: “If the exit poll is correct, it’s difficult for Theresa May to survive.
"And Jeremy Corbyn has done remarkably well.
"I congratulate him.
"On Tory Brexit policy “[Theresa May] may have got her comeuppance.”
But counters and reporters were left baffled by his bizarre Muppets socks.
The Conservatives.
Theresa May's party was predicted to reach 314 seats in the official exit poll — 12 shy of a majority — making the smaller parties kingmakers.
DUP's Sir Jeffery Donaldson said: "Of course we will talk to [the Tories] about their desire to form a government".
Meanwhile, Corbynistas launched an anti-unionist rant on Twitter over the prospect of Northern Ireland's DUP and UUP propping up the Tories.
One wrote that he would rather see Northern Ireland "f*** off and reunify with the Republic".
Keep up with all the latest election news on our rolling Live Blog.
Some of the key details from the turbulent night so far:
- Hung parliament confirmed with Tories missing out on majority of 326 with polls predicting 318 seats - down from 330
- Labour forecast to take 262 - up from 232 in 2015. They are
- Theresa May faces mounting pressure – with the odds slashed on Boris Johnson to be the next PM
- Fears grow Brexit negotiations could be sunk if Mrs May does not secure a majority
- Lib Dem Nick Clegg loses Sheffield Hallam seat but Vince Cable regains Twickenham while leader Tim Farron clings on
- Home Secretary Amber Rudd holds on to Hastings seat by barely 300 votes
- Huge losses for SNP as former chief Alex Salmond and deputy leader Angus Robertson are both beaten by the Tories.
- Labour on march in London beating Tories to Battersea constituency
- Pound slides two per cent as exit poll predicts hung parliament
- Ukip voters desert party with vote share down by ten per cent
- Growing fears that Mrs May will have to call a second election later this year
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