Conservative Party wins majority in 2019 UK general election

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Monday, December 16, 2019

██ Conservative Party - 365 seats

██ Labour Party - 203 seats

██ Scottish National Party - 48 seats

██ Liberal Democrats - 11 seats

██ Democratic Unionist Party - 8 seats

██ Sinn Féin - 7 seats

██ Plaid Cymru - 4 seats

██ Green Party (E & W) - 1 seat

██ Alliance Party of Northern Ireland - 1 seat

On Thursday, the United Kingdom's (UK) Conservative Party netted an additional 66 seats, totaling 365 seats, surpassing the 326 seats needed for a majority in Parliament. Results and reaction came in early on Friday. Before this election, the Conservative Party was the largest party, but had just 318 seats, which is not a majority.

Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was "humbled" by the results and "...I and we will never take your support for granted. And I will make it my mission to work night and day, flat out, to prove you right in voting for me this time and to earn your support in the future." Election implications regarding the UK's efforts on leaving the European Union (EU) were described by Johnson as a "historic mandate", saying he intends to leave the EU by the end of January.

The conservative party gained 66 seats since Parliament was last in session, while the second largest party, Labour, lost 42. The Scottish National Party (SNP) gained 13 seats and Liberal Democrats lost 10. There were no Change UK candidates elected, which lost all 5 of its seats. The Brexit Party failed to obtain any seats.

The Labour Party's leader, Jeremy Corbyn announced he will not seek the party's leadership position in the next general election cycle. Liberal Democrats are to find a new leader after Jo Swinson was defeated in Dunbartonshire East by an SNP candidate with a 149 vote margin. The Blyth Valley seat has, since its creation in 1950, always elected a Labour Member of Parliament, but elected a conservative candidate in this election.

Voter turnout was down by about 1.5% of the electorate from the 2017 election cycle, with this time about 67.3%.


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