British voters dealt Prime Minister Theresa May a devastating blow in a snap election she had called to strengthen her hand in Brexit talks, wiping out her parliamentary majority and throwing the country into political turmoil, reported Reuters.

 

With 647 of 650 seats declared, the Conservatives had won 316 seats. Though the biggest single winner, they failed to reach the 326-mark they would need to command a parliamentary majority. Labour had won 261 seats.

 

With complex talks on Britain's departure from the European Union due to start in 10 days' time, it was unclear who would form the next government and what the fundamental direction of Brexit would be.

 

With no clear winner emerging from Thursday's election, a wounded May signaled she would fight on. Her Labour rival Jeremy Corbyn, once written off by his opponents as a no-hoper, said she should step down, it stated.

 

In the aftermath of one of the most sensational nights in British electoral history, politicians and commentators called her decision to hold the election a colossal mistake and derided her performance on the campaign trail.

 

The BBC reported, however, that May did not plan to resign.

 

There has been speculation she may seek some kind of informal arrangement with the Democratic Unionists, which won 10 seats in Northern Ireland, which could see it support the Tories on a vote-by-vote basis.

 

DUP leader Arlene Foster has said she expects "some contact" with the Tories over the coming days but she also told the BBC she believes Mrs May will find it "difficult to survive".

 

After a better-than-expected night for Mr Corbyn, Labour is set to pick up 29 seats. The Tories are on course to lose 13 seats. The SNP are down by 22, losing seats to the Tories, Labour and Lib Dems, in a major setback for Nicola Sturgeon.

 

It is indeed a major blow to th pro-Brexit camp as the EU will force a humiliated Theresa May to explain her intentions at a face-to-face meeting in Brussels as senior diplomats and politicians warned the hung parliament resulting from the UK election was an “own goal” and a “disaster” that hugely increases the chance of Brexit talks breaking down, according to The Guardian.

 

The result is likely to delay the point at which Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief negotiator, has someone with whom to negotiate. Sources said a meeting of the European council on June 22 was the EU27’s new deadline for wanting to know the prime minister’s plans.

 

Donald Tusk, the council president, reminded London that while the start of Brexit negotiations may now be delayed because of the election result, the date by which the talks must be concluded is fixed.

 

“We don’t know when Brexit talks start,” Tusk tweeted. “We know when they must end. Do your best to avoid a ‘no deal’ as result of ‘no negotiations.”

 

The European commission president, Jean Claude Juncker, said he feared it would not be easy for Theresa May to form a stable government.

 

“We are ready to start negotiations,” Juncker said. “I hope that the British will be able to form as soon as possible a stable government. I don’t think that things now have become easier but we are ready,” he added.