Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Prime minister Johnson to win a majority of 86 - exit poll

Prime minister Boris Johnson's Conservative Party will win a majority of 86 seats in Britain's election, giving him the numbers in parliament he needs to deliver Brexit on Jan. 31, an exit poll indicated on Thursday.

The exit poll showed Johnson's Conservatives would win 368 seats, enough for a comfortable outright majority in the 650-seat parliament. Labour were forecast to win 191 seats, the Scottish National Party 55 seats and the Liberal Democrats 13.


Official results will be declared over the next seven hours.

In the last five national elections, only one exit poll has got the outcome wrong - in 2015 when the poll predicted a hung parliament when in fact the Conservatives won a majority, taking 14 more seats than forecast.

If Johnson's bet on a snap election has paid off, he will move swiftly to ratify the Brexit deal he struck with the European Union so that the United Kingdom can leave on Jan. 31 - 10 months later than initially planned.

Johnson called the first Christmas election since 1923 to break what he said was the paralysis of Britain's political system after more than three years of crisis over how, when or even if to leave the European Union.

The face of the "Leave" campaign in the 2016 referendum, 55-year-old Johnson fought the election under the slogan of "Get Brexit Done", promising to end the deadlock and spend more on health, education and the police.

The exit poll was produced by three broadcasters - the BBC, ITV and Sky - who teamed up to jointly produce similar surveys in the last three elections, held in 2010, 2015 and 2017.

In 2010 and 2017, their exit polls accurately predicted the overall outcome and were close to forecasting the correct number of seats for the two main parties. However in 2015, it predicted a hung parliament when in fact the Conservatives won a majority, taking 14 more seats than forecast.

Johnson's strategy was to breach Labour's so called "Red Wall" of seats across the Brexit-supporting areas of the Midlands and northern England where he cast his political opponents as the out-of-touch enemies of Brexit.

While a majority will allow Johnson to lead the United Kingdom out of the club it first joined in 1973, Brexit is far from over: He faces the daunting task of negotiating a trade agreement with the EU in just 11 months.

After Jan. 31 Britain will enter a transition period during which it will negotiate a new relationship with the EU27.

This can run until the end of December 2022 under the current rules, but the Conservatives made an election promise not to extend the transition period beyond the end of 2020.

More For You

UK heatwave

The spike in temperature is due to a period of high pressure currently centred over the UK

iStock

UK weather forecast says heatwave is coming and it could last for days

Britons are set to enjoy a burst of summer sunshine as forecasters predict a heatwave over the weekend, with temperatures expected to rise higher than those in parts of southern Europe. The Met Office anticipates that the UK could experience its hottest days of the year so far, with the south-east likely to be the warmest region.

Temperatures to reach 32°C in parts of the UK

According to the latest weather forecast heatwave predictions, temperatures could peak at 32°C on Saturday, 21 June, and Sunday, 22 June in areas including London and Kent. These highs would surpass conditions in traditional holiday destinations such as Portugal and southern France.

Keep ReadingShow less
Air India crash

Spiritual messages were shared by representatives of different faiths and floral tributes were laid during the memorial.(Photo: X/@AngelaRayner)

X/@AngelaRayner

Air India crash: UK and India united in grief, says Angela Rayner at London vigil

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER Angela Rayner has said the United Kingdom and India are united in grief after the Ahmedabad-London Air India crash last week.

Speaking at a multi-faith memorial service at India House in London on Monday evening, Rayner was joined by other parliamentarians, Foreign Office officials and members of the Indian community to pay tribute to the lives lost.

Keep ReadingShow less
Yvette Cooper

Yvette Cooper told parliament that any adult who engages in penetrative sex with a child under 16 will now face the most serious charge of rape. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Government announces new laws against grooming gangs, issues apology to victims

THE UK government on Monday introduced new laws to tackle grooming gangs and apologised to the thousands of victims believed to have been sexually exploited across the country.

Home secretary Yvette Cooper told parliament that any adult who engages in penetrative sex with a child under 16 will now face the most serious charge of rape. The move is part of a nationwide crackdown on grooming gangs.

Keep ReadingShow less
Air India crash victims

People carry the coffin containing the body of Akash Patni, who died after an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner plane crashed during take-off from an airport, in Ahmedabad, June 17, 2025. (Photo: Reuters)

Reuters

Air India crash: 135 victims identified, 101 bodies handed over to families

FIVE days after the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad that killed 270 people, officials on Tuesday said that 135 victims have been identified through DNA testing, and 101 bodies have been handed over to their families.

According to authorities, DNA tests are being conducted to confirm the identities of victims as several bodies were charred or severely damaged.

Keep ReadingShow less
Tehran-attack-Reuters

Iranian flags fly as fire and smoke from an Israeli attack on Sharan Oil depot rise, following Israeli strikes on Iran, in Tehran onJune 15, 2025. (Photo: Reuters)

Reuters

India urges citizens to leave Tehran as Israel-Iran conflict escalates

INDIA on Tuesday advised its citizens to leave Tehran as the conflict between Israel and Iran continued to intensify. Some Indian nationals have already left the country through its borders.

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs said Indian students have already exited the Iranian capital, while other residents who could manage transport on their own have been advised to leave due to the deteriorating situation.

Keep ReadingShow less