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Theresa May is clinging to power by her fingertips through a hasty deal with 10 Northern Ireland MPs.

The Prime Minister was forced to beg for a lifeline from the Democratic Unionist Party after tossing away her Commons majority in a catastrophic election gamble.

It leaves the Tory leader a weakened occupant of Downing Street, potentially a prisoner of the DUP and backbench factions — a shadow of the all-powerful landslide winner she imagined when she called the snap election.

A DUP source said the party would keep Jeremy Corbyn from toppling Mrs May. “IRA sympathisers will never do a deal with us,” they added. But the party is expected to drive a hard bargain — and has a history of exploiting narrow majorities to extract favours from Westminster governments.

There were hints from some supporters that Mrs May could be out in two years, after conducting Brexit talks.

Her authority drained away in a night of shock that sent sterling plunging, as the world weighed in horror the implications for Brexit negotiations, which are due to start in 10 days.

But in a speech to supporters in the early hours the Prime Minister signalled her plan to cling on by stressing the need for “a period of stability”. She then spent an agonising morning phoning Cabinet members to shore up her position amid some calls for her to resign for, in one MP’s words, “steering the liner on to the rocks”.

With the Conservatives eight seats short of a Commons majority, Mrs May rang DUP leader Arlene Foster to strike exactly the sort of bargain she had claimed her opponents would resort to in a “coalition of chaos”.

Tory sources could not say if the two women had discussed a coalition, which some Right-wingers would prefer, or a less formal deal involving horse-trading in return for key votes. One Tory source said: “I wouldn’t say a deal has been done. The DUP has made clear they will work for us, but the precise nature of that will emerge in due course.”

Ms Foster, who was recently mired in a massive energy subsidies scandal, was making the most of her transformed position. She said it was “too soon to say” what would happen and mused that it would be “difficult for her [Mrs May] to survive”.

At 10.15am Downing Street was finally able to announce that Mrs May would see the Queen at 12.30pm to seek permission to form a government.

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Ms Foster is understood to have given an assurance that the DUP is ready to support the Government. The details will await consultations between the two parties over the weekend.

Tories were furious at the election shambles. Ex-minister Anna Soubry called on Mrs May to “consider her position” following a “disastrous” campaign. Tory MPs were sharpening their knives for the Prime Minister’s closest aides, Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, often tipped as a successor to Mrs May, said: “We’ve got to listen to our constituents and listen to their concerns.”

Brexit Secretary David Davis said he would “fight tooth and nail” to keep Mrs May in post. “The simple truth is we have a Prime Minister, she is a very good leader, I’m a big supporter of hers,” he said.

With all but one seat counted during a night of unbelievable political drama, some of the key points today were:

After 649 results, the Commons was divided as follows: Conservatives, 318 (-12); Labour, 261 (+29); SNP, 35 (-21); Liberal Democrats, 12 (+4); DUP, 10 (+2); Others, 13.

Mr Corbyn said Labour had “won this election” after its best vote share since 2001, at 40 per cent, fuelled by an extraordinary turnout of students and young supporters. Former Tory MP Matthew Parris dubbed it “the revenge of the young on the older generation” for last year’s Brexit vote.

Senior MPs said they will demand that Mrs May consult backbenchers and Cabinet ministers about policies as part of the price of her keeping her job.

One supporter of Mrs May suggested she could stay on for Brexit negotiations and fall on her sword in 2019. “She won’t be PM for a decade now, but we need her for the next two years,” said the minister. “There’s no time for a Tory leadership election and no clear and quick replacement.”

The first tremors of the third political earthquake in two years came at 10pm last night, when an exit poll by Ipsos MORI predicted a hung Parliament.

Interactive map: London election results

At first there was disbelief on all sides. But as the trickle of results turned into a flood in the early hours, it was clear that the Prime Minister’s gamble had backfired spectacularly.

Among unexpected Labour gains were Canterbury, Battersea and Warwick. The Conservative seat of Kensington went to a third recount. However, the Tories made gains in some old Labour strongholds, including Mansfield.

Among the smaller parties, Tim Farron’s Liberal Democrats were buoyed by the return of big beasts Sir Vince Cable and Sir Ed Davey. Ukip was crushed, however, with voters splitting between Labour and the Conservatives. Leader Paul Nuttall came third in the Lincolnshire seat he fought and later announced his resignation.

The pound dropped two per cent against the dollar and the euro, but it remained above levels seen when the Prime Minister called the snap election in April. Experts thought a weakened Mrs May had less chance of pushing through a hard Brexit that would be more damaging for the economy and the currency.

From Brussels, Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliament’s chief Brexit negotiator, gloated: “Yet another own goal, after Cameron now May, will make already complex negotiations even more complicated.”

Ms Soubry was the first Tory MP to suggest Mrs May should go. “This has been a disaster, the results are dreadful,” she said.

General Election Night 2017 - In pictures 31 show all General Election Night 2017 - In pictures 1/31 Theresa May waiting in Maidenhead for the result to be announced Alastair Grant/AP 2/31 Labour leaders Jeremy Corbyn at the Election count in Islington Jeremy Selwyn 3/31 Leader of the Liberal democrats Tim Farron celebrates beating Conservative party candidate James Airey, Independent candidate Mr Fishfinger and Labour candidate Eli Aldridge following the announcement of the results at the Westmoorland and Lonsdale constituency count at Kendal Leisure Centre Dave Thompson/Getty Images 4/31 Armed police outside the home of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn in north London Yui Mok/PA 5/31 Vince Cable pictured with his wife Rachel, is elected once again in Twickenham after losing his seat in 2015 Alex Lentati 6/31 Nick Clegg loses his Sheffield Hallam seat and is no longer an MP Sky News 7/31 Scottish National Party (SNP) leader Nicola Sturgeon reacts as her party loses their seat at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, Scotland, Robert Parry/EPA 8/31 Britain's Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn, right, tries to high-five with Labour's Emily Thornberry after arriving for the declaration at his constituency in London Frank Augstein/AP 9/31 Ballot boxes are run in during the count at the Silksworth Community Pool, Tennis and Wellness Centre as the general election count begins Ian Forsyth/Getty Images 10/31 Boris Johnson at the Brunel Indoor Athletic Centre for the declaration of his Uxbridge and South Ruislip Constituency which he retained Rex Features 11/31 Zac Goldsmith with his mother Lady Annabel Goldsmith Alex Lentati 12/31 Close call for Zac Goldsmith as a recount is called for Richmond Park Alex Lentati 13/31 Labour supporters react as Paul Sweeney (not pictured) is announced as the new MP for Glasgow North East for the British Parliamentary Elections at the Emirates Arena EPA 14/31 UKIP leader Paul Nuttall at the Peter Paine Performance Centre in Boston during the counting Joe Giddens/PA 15/31 Labour's Rupa Huq celebrates with her sister, TV presenter Konnie Huq, after increasing her majority from 274 to 13,807 in Ealing Central and Acton Matt Writtle 16/31 Displays show the current rate of the British pound against the Japanese yen and a news program reporting on the British general election at a foreign money brokerage in Tokyo Roru Yamanaka/AFP/Getty Images 17/31 Theresa May leaving CCHQ this morning Jeremy Selwyn 18/31 Police watch as counting staff sort through ballots at a counting centre in Islington, London Niklas Halle'n/AFP/Getty Images 19/31 Britain's Home Secretary Amber Rudd's speaks after retaining her seat in Hastings Kevin Coombs/Reuters 20/31 Prime Minister Theresa May's chief of staff Nick Timothy and Joint-chief of staff Fiona Hill leave Conservative Party HQ in Westminster Rick Findler/PA 21/31 Patrons watch the results for Britain's election in London. Alex Salmond loses his seat Peter Nicholls/Reuters 22/31 Chuka Umunna kisses with his wife, Alice Sullivan at the London Borough of Lambeth UK Parliamentary Elections Lucy Young 23/31 Prime Minister Theresa May waits with other candidates for the results to be declared at the count centre in Maidenhead Geoff Cadick/AFP/Getty Images 24/31 Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson at Meadowbank Sports Centre in Edinburgh Jane Barlow/PA 25/31 Vote counters wait for Ballot boxes to arrive at the Peter Paine Performance Centre where the vote count for the constituency of Boston and Skegness Getty Images 26/31 Kate Hoey who retained her Vauxhall seat at the London Borough of Lambeth Lucy Young 27/31 Conservative's Gavin Barwell loses his seat to Labour at Croydon Central Chris Gorman 28/31 Labour's Sarah Jones takes the Conservative seat of Croydon Chris Gorman 29/31 DUP leader Arlene Foster and deputy leader Nigel Dodds cheer as Emma Little Pengelly is elected to the South Belfast constituency at the Titanic exhibition centre in Belfast Niall Carson/PA 30/31 Exit poll results from Britain's general election are projected on to the BBC's Broadcasting House, London Jeff Overs/BBC 31/31 The front door of 10 Downing Street in Westminster, London, as votes are being counted in the 2017 General Election Rick Findler/PA 1/31 Theresa May waiting in Maidenhead for the result to be announced Alastair Grant/AP 2/31 Labour leaders Jeremy Corbyn at the Election count in Islington Jeremy Selwyn 3/31 Leader of the Liberal democrats Tim Farron celebrates beating Conservative party candidate James Airey, Independent candidate Mr Fishfinger and Labour candidate Eli Aldridge following the announcement of the results at the Westmoorland and Lonsdale constituency count at Kendal Leisure Centre Dave Thompson/Getty Images 4/31 Armed police outside the home of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn in north London Yui Mok/PA 5/31 Vince Cable pictured with his wife Rachel, is elected once again in Twickenham after losing his seat in 2015 Alex Lentati 6/31 Nick Clegg loses his Sheffield Hallam seat and is no longer an MP Sky News 7/31 Scottish National Party (SNP) leader Nicola Sturgeon reacts as her party loses their seat at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow, Scotland, Robert Parry/EPA 8/31 Britain's Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn, right, tries to high-five with Labour's Emily Thornberry after arriving for the declaration at his constituency in London Frank Augstein/AP 9/31 Ballot boxes are run in during the count at the Silksworth Community Pool, Tennis and Wellness Centre as the general election count begins Ian Forsyth/Getty Images 10/31 Boris Johnson at the Brunel Indoor Athletic Centre for the declaration of his Uxbridge and South Ruislip Constituency which he retained Rex Features 11/31 Zac Goldsmith with his mother Lady Annabel Goldsmith Alex Lentati 12/31 Close call for Zac Goldsmith as a recount is called for Richmond Park Alex Lentati 13/31 Labour supporters react as Paul Sweeney (not pictured) is announced as the new MP for Glasgow North East for the British Parliamentary Elections at the Emirates Arena EPA 14/31 UKIP leader Paul Nuttall at the Peter Paine Performance Centre in Boston during the counting Joe Giddens/PA 15/31 Labour's Rupa Huq celebrates with her sister, TV presenter Konnie Huq, after increasing her majority from 274 to 13,807 in Ealing Central and Acton Matt Writtle 16/31 Displays show the current rate of the British pound against the Japanese yen and a news program reporting on the British general election at a foreign money brokerage in Tokyo Roru Yamanaka/AFP/Getty Images 17/31 Theresa May leaving CCHQ this morning Jeremy Selwyn 18/31 Police watch as counting staff sort through ballots at a counting centre in Islington, London Niklas Halle'n/AFP/Getty Images 19/31 Britain's Home Secretary Amber Rudd's speaks after retaining her seat in Hastings Kevin Coombs/Reuters 20/31 Prime Minister Theresa May's chief of staff Nick Timothy and Joint-chief of staff Fiona Hill leave Conservative Party HQ in Westminster Rick Findler/PA 21/31 Patrons watch the results for Britain's election in London. Alex Salmond loses his seat Peter Nicholls/Reuters 22/31 Chuka Umunna kisses with his wife, Alice Sullivan at the London Borough of Lambeth UK Parliamentary Elections Lucy Young 23/31 Prime Minister Theresa May waits with other candidates for the results to be declared at the count centre in Maidenhead Geoff Cadick/AFP/Getty Images 24/31 Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson at Meadowbank Sports Centre in Edinburgh Jane Barlow/PA 25/31 Vote counters wait for Ballot boxes to arrive at the Peter Paine Performance Centre where the vote count for the constituency of Boston and Skegness Getty Images 26/31 Kate Hoey who retained her Vauxhall seat at the London Borough of Lambeth Lucy Young 27/31 Conservative's Gavin Barwell loses his seat to Labour at Croydon Central Chris Gorman 28/31 Labour's Sarah Jones takes the Conservative seat of Croydon Chris Gorman 29/31 DUP leader Arlene Foster and deputy leader Nigel Dodds cheer as Emma Little Pengelly is elected to the South Belfast constituency at the Titanic exhibition centre in Belfast Niall Carson/PA 30/31 Exit poll results from Britain's general election are projected on to the BBC's Broadcasting House, London Jeff Overs/BBC 31/31 The front door of 10 Downing Street in Westminster, London, as votes are being counted in the 2017 General Election Rick Findler/PA

Lord Turnbull, the former Cabinet secretary who sits as a crossbencher, said Mrs May “wasn’t up to it” and should resign. He said she had made a “catastrophic mistake” and “didn’t have the skillset” to be Prime Minister. Moreover, he said, she had run No 10 “as a fiefdom” that froze out Cabinet members.

Katie Perrior, Mrs May’s former director of communications at No 10, said it would be “incredibly difficult” for her ex-boss to stay as Conservative leader. “There are a lot of bruised people out there this morning,” she said.

An executive member of the 1922 Committee, which represents Tory MPs, said Mrs May could stay but at a price. The MP said: “Nick Timothy has to go for his role in the manifesto. It was the worst I have fought on for 25 years. Instead of dollops of cream it was laced with arsenic.”

Nigel Evans, joint-secretary of the 1922 Committee, said manifesto hits on elderly voters had been toxic. “We derailed our own campaign,” he said. “We managed to steer the liner straight on to an iceberg called social care, the triple lock and winter weather payments.”

Campaign consultant Lynton Crosby was said to be blaming Mr Timothy for the manifesto, when a so-called dementia tax led to a U-turn within days.

The Tories lost eight frontbenchers including Cabinet Office minister Ben Gummer, the official author of the manifesto. Home Secretary Amber Rudd held her seat with a 346 majority. Lib Dem ex-deputy prime minister Nick Clegg was ousted from Sheffield Hallam. There are more women MPs than ever, with over 200 for the first time.

After 649 constituency results out of 650, the turnout was 32,159,240, or 68.74 per cent, up 2.63 per cent.