Hung Parliament: So what does it all mean?
The Conservatives failed to secure a majority
Last updated 12th Jun 2017
The General Election has produced a hung parliament with the Conservatives as the largest party but short of an overall majority.
What is a hung Parliament?
To gain a majority there normally needs to be a minimum of 326 votes to ensure that the party has more seats than the other parties put together. However the Conservatives have fallen short and therefore are in a less secure position than they were before the election.
When did we last have a hung parliament?
The Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats banded together back in 2010 to form a coalition government.
What happens when there is a hung parliament?
The Conservatives are still in power, and Theresa May is still our Prime Minister. The biggest party (the Conservatives) is entitled to try to win over other, smaller political parties to work with them in a coalition. Should this fail, they can form a minority government, which might struggle to pass laws in the Commons.
What happens now?
Theresa May or Jeremy Corbyn could go it alone and try to run a minority government, relying on the support of smaller parties when needed to get their laws passed or they could form another coalition.
This time round - the DUP - or Democratic Union Party from Northern Ireland - could potentially form a coalition with the Conservatives and could govern with them. They won 10 seats in the election.
What does this mean for the Prime Minister?
As the sitting Prime Minister, Theresa May has the right to remain in office until the next sitting of Parliament, which will take place early next week.
How long will it take?
There is no official time limit but the new Parliament will meet on Tuesday 13th June for the first time, therefore Theresa May has until then to put together a deal to keep herself in power or resign.