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Election 2010: First hung parliament in UK for decades

By Lucy Halfhead on Friday 7 May 2010

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Marie Claire World News: Houses of Parliament

The results are in and Britain has its first hung parliament since 1974 - the Conservatives have won 290 seats so far but can not now reach the 326 needed to win an overall majority.

Leader David Cameron said Labour had ‘lost its mandate to govern'. Gordon Brown, whose party has 247 seats, has returned to Downing Street with aides. Both may now turn to Nick Clegg's Lib Dems, who have so far won 51 seats, to try to form a coalition government.

The BBC projection suggests David Cameron's Conservatives will have 306 seats. If there are 10 Unionists elected in Northern Ireland then Mr Cameron might be able to command 316 - probably still slightly too few for him to be sure of winning a Queen's Speech.

But Labour and the Lib Dems together would have 317 seats, according to the BBC figures, which even with three SDLP MPs would still leave them at 320 - again a few votes short of a majority.

In other election night news, the Greens have gained their first MP at Westminster - party leader Caroline Lucas in Brighton Pavillion. Around the country, there were angry scenes and calls for an inquiry after people were turned away from polling stations as long queues formed ahead of the 2200 BST voting deadline.

Senior Labour figures have said that under the rules of Britain's constitution, the sitting prime minister in a hung parliament makes the first attempt at forming a ruling coalition.

But Nick Clegg - whose party have not performed as well as expected after a poll surge for the Lib Dems after the first live TV debate - cautioned other leaders against ‘rushing into making claims or taking decisions,' and admitted it had been a ‘disappointing night.'

Interestingly, according to our website poll yesterday Marie Claire readers have come out in support of Mr Clegg with the results standing at: Conservatives 33%; Labour 27%; Liberal Democrats 39%.

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Friday 7 May 2010

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I'm finding it very strange how poorly the Lib Dems did. Everybody I know voted for them and they are usually people who don't vote. I just can't understand how they lost seats?! It's bizarre and has made me loose complete faith in this whole voting debacle. I don't think I'll bother next time. At least the fox hunting conservatives didn't win.
Comment by Jodie on May 07 13:07

I agree with you Jodie. What happened? Maybe all the LibDem voters were locked out of polling stations at 10pm? Surely this result shows how badly we need electoral reform in this country. What a mess.
Comment by P on May 07 13:41

The Lib Dems lose out with the current plurality electoral system which we use in this country. This is why we need electoral reform. At least the cons did not gain a majority so they will be unable to introduce the ridiculous inheretence tax breaks for the super rich and bring back fox hunting- the blood sport for the wealthy. Things could have been much worse.
Comment by Emalu on May 07 14:05

Think people are losing sight of these parties policies and going for personality I couldnt care less about their personalities as long as they govern well.
Comment by patsy on May 07 14:49

Im completely in agreement with jodie. But i think us lib dem supporters should stay strong and vote again next time.. who knows, by then they may have reformed the whole system.
Comment by Rach on May 07 18:20