Labour majority ends with hung parliament
Top news: The Labour Party's 13 years of majority in the British Parliament came to an end last night with Prime Minister Gordon Brown's party losing at least 86 seats to David Cameron's Conservatives. But with no party holding an outright majority, the country is facing its first "hung parliament" since the 1970s. Brown has signalled that he will not immediately step down, saying the results show "no clear majority for any single party.” Both leaders are expected to make statements about their plans shortly.
Results are still coming in, but at this time, the Conservatives hold 298 seats. Labour came in second with 253 seats. The BBC is projecting that when the final votes are tallied, the Conservatives will hold 305 seats, still short of the 326 needed for a majority. The Liberal Democrats, who had seen a surge in their poll numbers after leader Nick Clegg's impressive performance in televised debates, came in a distant third with 54 seats so far.
Clegg admitted it was a "disappointing night" for the Lib Dems, but his party will now likely play a key role in the post-election wrangling for power. A Liberal-Conservative coalition government would put Cameron over the top.Cameron is also likely to win the support of around 10 Ulster Unions elected in Northern Ireland.
Labour is also reportedly seeking a deal with the Liberal Democrats, though such a deal would still leave Brown short of a majority. Clegg told the BBC that as the party with the highest number of votes, the Conservatives had the right to attempt to form a government first. Labour's Chief Strategist Peter Mandelson disagreed saying that the ruling party had the right to attempt to form a government if no other party gained a majority. Britain's uncodified constitutional system offers little in the way of clarity.
Markets: The Dow Jones industrial average dropped nearly 1,000 points yesterday after erratic trading triggered a massive selloff.
Results are still coming in, but at this time, the Conservatives hold 298 seats. Labour came in second with 253 seats. The BBC is projecting that when the final votes are tallied, the Conservatives will hold 305 seats, still short of the 326 needed for a majority. The Liberal Democrats, who had seen a surge in their poll numbers after leader Nick Clegg's impressive performance in televised debates, came in a distant third with 54 seats so far.
Clegg admitted it was a "disappointing night" for the Lib Dems, but his party will now likely play a key role in the post-election wrangling for power. A Liberal-Conservative coalition government would put Cameron over the top.Cameron is also likely to win the support of around 10 Ulster Unions elected in Northern Ireland.
Labour is also reportedly seeking a deal with the Liberal Democrats, though such a deal would still leave Brown short of a majority. Clegg told the BBC that as the party with the highest number of votes, the Conservatives had the right to attempt to form a government first. Labour's Chief Strategist Peter Mandelson disagreed saying that the ruling party had the right to attempt to form a government if no other party gained a majority. Britain's uncodified constitutional system offers little in the way of clarity.
Markets: The Dow Jones industrial average dropped nearly 1,000 points yesterday after erratic trading triggered a massive selloff.
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-By Joshua Keating |  |
CARL DE SOUZA/AFP/Getty Images
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