Revealed: Tories’ hung Parliament briefing lines

Senior Conservatives insist that they don’t recognise the exit poll, which predicts a hung Parliament. But privately they appear to concede a hung Parliament is a possibility – and they are trying to get on the front foot.

In a briefing to Conservative candidates, the party has issued lines to take on the exit poll. They say to state that in the event of a hung Parliament, it is the Tories who would have the first opportunity try and form a parliamentary majority:

‘If it is right then the Conservative Party has won the most seats and probably won the most votes. The constitutional guidance is clear that it’s up to the sitting Prime Minister to see if they can form a parliamentary majority first.

This question is more important than ever at this critical time with the Brexit negotiations due to begin shortly. It is surely preferable that we have Theresa May leading those negotiations rather than Jeremy Corbyn.