General Election 2017 - hung parliament

With one remaining count ongoing – in Kensington, where there have been a series of recounts – the results of yesterday’s General Election are clear: The Conservatives are the largest party in a hung parliament, 8 seats short of a majority thus far with Labour making significant inroads, picking up 29 seats across the UK.

In Wales, Labour remains the biggest party by some distance, regaining seats they lost in 2015 (Gower & Vale of Clwyd) and 2010 (Cardiff North) and holding on to all of their other seats. The only other seat that changed hands in Wales was Ceredigion, where Plaid Cymru beat the final Lib Dem MP in Wales, meaning Wales doesn’t have a Liberal MP for the first time since 1859.

Some of the other big stories of the night include:

• Former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg losing his Sheffield Hallam seat to Labour
• Former Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond and SNP’s Westminster leader Angus Robertson both losing their seats to the Conservatives
• Home Secretary Amber Rudd needing a series of recounts to hold on to her Hastings & Rye seat, with her majority reduced from 5,000 to around 300
• English Housing Minister Gavin Barwell losing his seat to Labour, as one of seven Government Ministers to lose their seat

This helpful guide from the Institute for Government explains what happens next in the case of a hung parliament: http://bit.ly/2sSF8h0

Prime Minister Theresa May has rejected calls to resign, and will be going to Buckingham Palace at 12.30 this afternoon to confirm to the Queen that she will seek to form a government.

CHC will be contacting all MPs in the coming days with further information on the Homes for Wales campaign, and issues relating to Brexit and welfare.