Predictions of a neck and neck contest between the Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition Ed Miliband-led Labour looked like being off the mark with the exit poll suggesting the Tories will get 316 MPs to Labour’s 239 once all the results have been counted.
The poll also suggests the Liberal Democrats will get 10 MPs, the Scottish National Party (SNP) 58, Northern Ireland’s DUP 8, Welsh Plaid Cymru 4, UKIP 2 and the Greens 2.
The surveys taken at a large number of polling stations across the UK are traditionally released soon after the close of polling and were spot on with their predictions in the last 2010 general election.
The exit polls, conducted by NOP/MORI for the BBC, ITV and Sky, indicate that Cameron has the option to go into a repeat coalition with the Liberal Democrats to strike the magic 326 required for a majority in the House of Commons or even cobble one along with the DUP and a other Independents.
Results so far suggest the exit poll is accurate but the majority of the 650 seats have yet to declare.
The first official election result came in from Sunderland just 50 minutes after the close of polling at 2200 hours (local time) last night and it was a victory for Labour, which held on to its traditional stronghold.
Results were pouring in and till this morning Conservative Party had won 117 seats, Labour was victorious on 139, SNP triumphed in 50 seats while Liberal Democrats had just 5 seats to their credit.
Liberal Democrats election chief Lord Ashdown told the BBC: “If this exit poll is right I will publicly eat my hat.”
SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon was also cautious about the exit poll, which places her party on the course of its biggest win in Scottish history.
“I’d treat the exit poll with HUGE caution. I’m hoping for a good night but I think 58 seats is unlikely!” she tweeted.
Pollsters interviewed 22,000 people in 141 polling locations in 133 constituencies throughout Great Britain for the exit poll. A total of 650 Westminster MPs will be elected, with about 50 million people registered to vote in an election which has reported a fairly high turnout.
Queen Elizabeth II, who remains neutral by not voting, will be thrust centre-stage once the results are declared by tomorrow morning and call on the leader with most support to form the new government.
She would then go on to make the Queen’s Speech in Parliament on May 27, which lays out the new government’s agenda.
PTI