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LONDON – British Prime Minister Theresa May vowed Friday to remain in power and push ahead with difficult talks on Britain’s E.U. exit despite a stunning election blow that left her Conservative Party weakened and the country in a political tailspin.

“I will now form a government – a government that can provide certainty and lead Britain forward at this critical time for our country,” May said in front of 10 Downing Street.

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She promised no delays in negotiations with the European Union, which were scheduled to begin later this month.

“What the country needs more than ever is certainty,” she said in a grim-faced statement that reflected the major challenges ahead for her government after an election gamble that tipped the scales in favor of her political opponents.

For May, the results from Thursday voting were precisely the reverse of what she hoped. May called the snap election seeking to strengthen her hand in the E.U. negotiations and further sideline her political critics.