Theresa May Seeks To Form Government With Democratic Unionists

May’s effort to strengthen her government’s hand in Brexit negotiations backfired, as her party lost majority.

Theresa May hopes to retain power with the help of the DUP. (Photo: AP)

The United Kingdom woke up to a hung parliament on Friday, as neither party managed to secure the halfway mark required to form a government.

Conservative leader and incumbent Prime Minister Theresa May, who took over from David Cameron last year, had called in an early election, hoping to accelerate talks on Britain’s exit from the European Union.

The snap polls, however, costed May the majority in the British House of Commons, as the Conservative party won 318 out of 650 seats. May later scrambled to get the Democratic Unionist Party, which won 10 seats, on her side.

She met the Queen and staked claim to form a “stable” government with the support of “friends” like DUP.

A resurgent Labour Party, which secured atleast 261 seats, said May had clearly failed to achieve what she originally set out to accomplish.

It was her campaign and it was her decision to call the elections. She wanted to bring in a strong government, but the results paint a different picture.

Jeremy Corbyn, Leader, Labour Party

Even as May races against the numbers to put up a “strong” front, her new government, should it see daylight, will have to go soft on Brexit.

Video Editor: Ashutosh Bhardwaj