The First U.K. Election Exit Poll Predicts Labour Gains And A Hung Parliament

The first exit poll for the 2017 U.K. general election is predicting losses for Theresa May's Conservatives and gains for Jeremy Corbyn's Labour party.

The Tories are predicted to to take 314 seats, 12 short of an overall majority, while Labour could increase their share thirty seats to 266. This result would lead to a hung parliament

If this poll is proven accurate as vote tallies come in, it would prove a shocking upset to an election that was all but considered a guaranteed win for Theresa May. The Prime Minister called a snap election on April 18, asking the British public to deliver her a mandate to negotiate Brexit with the EU. Instead, her widely-panned campaign served to contrast with Jeremy Corbyn's more optimistic vision, as well as a party manifesto committed to preserving the NHS and free university tuition.

Final results are expected around 11 p.m. GMT.

Thumbnail photo by Jeff J Mitchell for Getty Images