Nevertheless, Nigel Farage’s insurgent Reform UK is forecast to win 13 seats — far higher than expected, and a breakthrough moment for Britain’s populist right. On such a result Farage would be confident of winning his own seat in Clacton, Essex — so finally becoming an MP at the eight attempt.
The poll also forecast a dramatic revival for the centrist Lib Dems, who would be restored as Britain’s third-largest party with 61 seats after almost a decade of obscurity.
But there was bleak news for the once-mighty Scottish National Party, which won 48 of Scotland’s 57 seats in 2019. The exit poll has the SNP slumping to just 10 seats, a disaster for a party which has dominated Scottish politics since 2015 — but has faced a series of scandals and declining popularity of late.
Speaking on ITV, the former Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon admitted she feared a poor night for her party. “There will be a lot of questions that need to be asked,” she said.
Labour figures appearing on TV were careful not to appear too jubilant. Labour Deputy Leader Angela Rayner told the BBC the projection is “just a poll.”
“The numbers are encouraging,” she said. “We haven’t had any results yet.”
