Lindsey Parnaby/Getty Images(LONDON) — U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May’s Conservative Party will be the largest party, but it may not have a majority, according to the U.K. general election exit poll.
The Conservatives could get 314 MP seats once all votes have been counted in Thursday’s election, according to the NOP/Ipsos MORI poll for BBC/ITV/Sky.
The opposing Labour Party, led by Jeremy Corbyn, would get 266. The poll suggests the other parties would get the following: Liberal Democrats, 14; UKIP, 0; and the Scottish National Party, 34.
If the Conservative Party does not get a majority of seats, it raises questions about who will govern the U.K. in the future. If that happens, the two or more parties can form a coalition and agree to govern the country together. The party with the most seats can also try to govern with a minority of seats, but if the party doesn’t get enough support on an important vote, it might force a new general election.
The first election results are due before midnight local time. Final results are expected by noon local time on Friday.
In total, 650 members of Parliament will be elected. But British voters are not voting for a new prime minister; the political party that wins the most seats in the House of Commons forms the new government and its leader then becomes prime minister.
The elections were held amid security concerns after recent attacks on London Bridge and Manchester Arena. The general threat level in the country is set to “severe,” meaning an attack is highly likely as the country faces “unprecedented times,” according to Lucy D’Orsi, deputy assistant commissioner and head of protective security at the National Police Chiefs Council.
About 46.9 million people were registered to vote, an increase from the last general election in 2015 in which 46.4 million were registered.
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