British Conservatives suffer setback in vote
emerged, saying that they thought the results had undersold the party’s performance and that official tallies would give them a higher total.
But as the results rolled in, they grew more somber and acknowledged suffering losses.
In Europe, observers were bracing for more instability out of Britain.
“Could be messy for the United Kingdom in the years ahead,” tweeted former Swedish prime minister Carl Bildt. “One mess risks following another. Price to be paid for lack of true leadership.”
May had acknowledged that a result such as the one signaled in the exit polls would be a defeat.
“If I lose just six seats I will lose this election, and Jeremy Corbyn will be sitting down to negotiate with the presidents, prime ministers and chancellors of Europe,” she wrote on her Facebook page last month.
Although exit polls have been imprecise in past elections, they are seen as a fairly reliable guide to the overall results. Official tallies will stream in through the night in Britain, with the final outcome not known until early Friday local time or about midnight EDT.
The exit poll results, if accurate, will draw renewed scrutiny to May’s choice to gamble by going back on repeated promises not to call an election before the one that had been due in 2020. They could also leave Britain rudderless just as what are sure to be contentious talks are scheduled to get underway with European leaders over the terms of Brexit.