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Britain is set for a hung parliament according to a shock exit poll in a disaster for Theresa May.

The earliest indications, released to broadcasters as polls closed at 10pm, suggest the Tories have won with 314 seats, with Labour on 266 .

If the poll is correct, it means while the Tories will most likely be the largest single party in parliament, they will not have an overall majority in parliament.

The Lib Dems were in third place with 14 - after what many saw as a rough campaign for leader Tim Farron.

The SNP are predicted to have 34 seats - with the collapse in UKIP's vote leaving them with no seats.

But the first few actual results to come in did not match the exit poll, and experts began to urge caution.

Peter Kellner, the former President of pollsters YouGov said that if the exit poll was wrong, as suggested by results from Newcastle and Sunderland, the Tories could still have a majority of 80-100.

Labour's Emily Thornberry said: "It’s still early, these are early exit polls but they have been right for the last 20 years or so, 30 years, so I think we are on the verge of a great result.”

And she called on Theresa May to resign, because she has "manifestly failed".

During the campaign, Mrs May frequently warned voters that if she lost just six seats, Jeremy Corbyn could walk into Number 10 as Prime Minister.

If the exit poll is correct, Mrs May will have lost 16 seats.

A Labour source said tonight: "Her credibility is shot.

"No party has ever advanced as much in popular support in a general election campaign as Labour has."

Exit poll - seat prediction

George Osborne, who Theresa May unceremoniously sacked as chancellor when she became Prime Minister, said: "If she has got a worse result than two years ago it will be hard for her to continue as Tory party leader"

Within moments of the exit poll being released, coalition positioning had already begun.

Control of Parliament could be on a knife-edge if the exit poll is correct.

The Tories (314), UUP (2) and DUP (6) together would win 324 seats - two short of an overall majority.

But Labour (266), the SNP (34), Lib Dems (14), Plaid Cymru (3), Greens (1) and SDLP (3) would be on 321 seats.

Labour previously said if it was the largest party in a hung parliament, it would NOT form any kind of deal - but expect left-wing parties to back it anyway.

In a statement, Green co-leader Caroline Lucas offered to back a Labour Prime Minister.

She said: "Any Green MPs elected tonight will do all they can to keep the Tories from Number 10, and back a Labour-led Government on a case by case basis."

(Image: AFP)

Last night, on the eve of the election, Jeremy Corbyn urged his supporters to “rise like lions” as opinion polls suggested the Tories were cruising to victory.

The defiant Labour leader said the election was “the most important in a generation” as he called on voters to defy predictions and propel him into Downing Street.

“This is a choice about the future of our country, the most important in a generation,” he said.

‘Rise like lions. We are many, they are few.”

Mr Corbyn was quoting Percey Bysshe Shelley’s famous poem about the Peterloo massacre, the Masque of Anarchy, as he tried to galvanise his fans to get out and vote.

But the polls told a different story as almost every major firm said Theresa May was on course to win.

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ComRes gave her a 10-point lead, with the Conservatives on 44% and Labour on 34%.

YouGov gave her a seven-point lead, with the Conservatives on 42% and Labour on 35%.

BMG gave her a 13-point lead, with the Conservatives on 46% and Labour on 33%.

And Panelbase gave her an eight-point lead, with the Conservatives on 44% and Labour on 36%.

A top Conservative official told activists “huge numbers” of voters were arriving at polling stations.

In an email to Tory supporters at 3pm yesterday urging them to vote, director of campaigning Darren Mott said: “I’ve just got off a call with our field campaigners around the country.

General election results 2017 326 needed for majority Conservatives Theresa May 365 Labour Jeremy Corbyn 202 snp Nicola Sturgeon 48 Lib Dems Tim Farron 11 DUP 8 Sinn Fein 7 Plaid Cymru 4 Green 1 Speaker 1 UKIP 0 UUP 0 Brexit 0 Change 0 Other 3 Undeclared 0 See full results

(Image: Rex Features)

“They’re telling me they’re seeing huge numbers of people turning up to vote – and we predict a lot of seats are going to be very tight.”

The party leaders were out early to cast their ballots amid heightened security at polling stations.

Grinning Theresa May greeted photographers with a cheery “hello” as she arrived with husband Philip to vote at Sonning guide and scout hut on the outskirts of Maidenhead.

Jeremy Corbyn arrived at Pakeman Primary School in Holloway, north London, to cast his vote.

(Image: Getty Images Europe)

He smiled, waved and spoke to voters, before telling of his pride in Labour’s campaign when he emerged from the polling station.

He told journalists waiting outside: “Thank you very much, all of you, for coming here today.

“It’s a day of our democracy. I’ve just voted. I’m very proud of our campaign. Thank you very much.”

Mr Corbyn’s close ally Diane Abbott was seen in public for the first time since being sidelined as Shadow Home Secretary.

(Image: Rex Features)

Miss Abbott was pulled from the political frontline on Wednesday as it was revealed she was suffering from an illness, following a series of disastrous broadcast interviews.

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon was joined by husband Peter Murrell at their polling station in Glasgow.

Asked how she was feeling after an intense campaign, Ms Sturgeon said: “I’m feeling good.

“We’re focused today on getting out the vote.”

Tory grandee Sir Nicholas Soames was left red-faced after being rapped for standing too close to a polling station.

Strict rules govern parties’ conduct on election day, including how close they are allowed to get to stations where voters are preparing to cast their ballots.

One worried resident alerted the returning officer for Mid Sussex, Sir Nicholas’ ultra-safe constituency, after he was spotted lurking near West Hoathly Village Hall.

A council spokeswoman told the Mirror: “It’s a really small village hall and there’s not really that much space in the entrance way into the polling station.

“They (the returning officer’s department) were contacted by a resident who was concerned that the teller was a bit too close.

“The elections team contacted the agent, which is what they do in those circumstances, and then the agent moved the teller further way from that location.

“They also contacted the resident and they were happy with that action that was taken.”

The spokeswoman confirmed the “teller” was Sir Nicholas.

Business leaders said that with the election over, the most important thing for the country was for the new Government to re-focus on jobs and the economy.

Carolyn Fairbairn, CBI Director-General, said last night: “With the election over, there has never been a more important time to refocus on the economy and plan with confidence and ambition.

“As a nation we have the creativity, skills, and global outlook to make the UK a true world leader in the industries of the future, bringing jobs and growth to all parts of the UK.

“UK firms will work with whoever forms the new government to make the most of this golden opportunity.

“As early priorities, business will want to see a commitment to tax and regulatory stability, fast progress on a modern industrial strategy to support skills, infrastructure and innovation, and a Brexit approach that puts people and trade ahead of politics.”