How the Tory bid to scoop up all the Ukip votes failed – with Labour cashing in instead
UKIP's vote share plunged almost 11 per cent from 2015 and leader Paul Nuttall lost out on a seat this morning - but the Tories failed to scoop up their votes.
With more than 510 of 650 results in, Ukip was backed by just 1.9 per cent of electors after the Prime Minister's snap election gamble backfired and sent Britain spiralling towards a hung Parliament.
Panicked Ukip leader Paul Nuttall claimed "Brexit is in jeopardy" when the exit poll predicted Britain is heading for a hung parliament - and his party weren't expected to win any seats.
Mr Nuttall was third in pro-Brexit Boston and Skegness, with just 7.7 per cent of votes, down 26 per cent on 2015. Tories held the seat.
The humiliation in Boston comes after he failed to win in the Stoke Central by-election in February.
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In 2015, Ukip won a 12.6 per cent share of the vote and received 3,881,099 votes in the General Election, but lost every all its councillors running for re-election in the last local election.
With Ukip votes up for grabs in the aftermath of the EU Referendum, many predicted voters would turn blue - fuelling speculation of a Tory landslide.
But results prove Labour has won over northern Ukippers who have turned against May's plans for Brexit.
As votes were still being counted, May had lost six of her ministers who failed to be re-elected.
It has helped push Ukip's vote down by around 11 per cent since 2015 when the party secured a 12.6 per cent share of the national vote with just one MP.
An indication that it was going to be a difficult night for his party came in Sunderland, which a year ago provided an early sign that the European Union referendum was going to result in Brexit.
In Houghton and Sunderland South, Ukip's vote was down 15.78 per cent, in Sunderland Central it was down 14.25 per cent, and in Washington and Sunderland West it was cut by 12.85 per cent.
Former party leader Mr Farage insisted that Ukip could benefit from a hung parliament.
He told LBC Radio: "If the result of this tonight is that we finish up without a government with a clear majority pushing for Brexit, then a huge gap opens in the political landscape for Ukip once again."
But he said officials in Brussels "will have looked at the exit polls and be cheering very loudly because right now, if we believe the exit polls, Brexit is under a bit of threat".
He now fears a second referendum could be on the cards if Corbyn is involved in a coalition.
He said: "Corbyn's personality much stronger and more sincere than May. He's picking up Remain voters in London and UKIP voters elsewhere."
As Labour's Gerard Killen triumphed over SNP in Rutherglen & Hamilton West, the new Scottish MP said the turn against Tories was "a rejection of austerity and indyref2."
While Paul Nuttall tonight said: "If the exit poll is true then Theresa May has put Brexit in jeopardy. I said at the start this election was wrong. Hubris."
Turnout was set to be the highest since 1997 after young people flocked to the polls.
Early indications show turnout is up in all parts of the country and is set to beat the 66.4 per cent recorded two years ago.
Results suggested the turnout figure could even rival 1997 - when 71.3 per cent of the country voted.
In Jeremy Corbyn’s Islington North seat turnout was 73.6 per cent - a sharp increase on the 67.4 per cent two years ago.
And Sunderland also saw a jump in turnout - up 5 per cent from 2015.
Theresa May's job could now be under serious threat now Britain has a hung parliament, after Labour's victory in Southampton Test made it impossible for any party to reach the 326 MPs required to achieve an absolute majority in the House of Commons.
She previously said she would have “lost the election” if she lost just six seats – but now faces a bitter battle for control of the Conservative Party as she is on course to lose a total of 17.
And as attention turns to who would take over if she steps down, bookies have slashed the odds of Boris Johnson becoming the next Prime Minister.
The Foreign Secretary and former Mayor of London was sitting at 66/1 odds of becoming the next leader of the UK as of 5.30pm on the election night – but in just hours was in at a five to one chance.
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
Follow our General Election 2017 results LIVE blog for the latest updates as Labour draw first blood in North East following shock hung parliament exit poll