Surprise Exit Poll Puts Conservatives On Top

The Conservatives will be the largest party after the General Election, according to an exit poll carried out for the major broadcasters.

The poll put the Conservatives on 316 seats, Labour on 239, the Scottish National Party on 58, the Liberal Democrats on 10 and UKIP on two.

The forecast contradicts months of pre-election polling showing the two largest parties neck and neck.

And the predicted Labour tally would represent the party's worst result since 1987.

David Blunkett, former Labour Home Secretary, said: "I'm going to tell you that I believe the opinion polls were wrong, the exit polls were right and that it is a very, very bad night for us."

SNP gains in Scotland have so far damaged Labour, with the most high profile victim being the party's General Election campaign chief Douglas Alexander.

Twenty year old student Mhairi Black unseated the shadow foreign secretary in Paisley and Renfrewshire South, winning 23,548 votes with a massive 27% swing.

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The parties are trying to get 326 seats to command a majority.

And if the election result mirrors that of the exit poll, David Cameron will be just 10 seats short - the number predicted to be won by the Lib Dems.

Former cabinet secretary Lord O'Donnell told Sky News it would leave Mr Cameron with two choices - forming a coalition or leading a minority Government.

A Conservative party source told Sky News Mr Cameron was "pleased" with the exit poll.

London Mayor Boris Johnson, who has been returned to Parliament as MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip, said: "I don’t think anybody should count their chickens, but if the exit poll is correct it’s a fantastic result."

And Home Secretary Theresa May said: "Whatever the result, we are clear that the Conservatives will make the choice that is right for the country."

Harriet Harman, Labour's deputy leader, told Sky News: "Even if the exit poll is right, and we are very sceptical, it does actually show that the coalition by David Cameron has all but lost its majority."

The exit poll forecast would represent a disaster for the Liberal Democrats, who held 56 seats before polling started.

Results so far show a major drop in the number of voters supporting the Lib Dems - including a swing of -22.2% in Newcastle Upon Tyne East.

Nick Clegg's spokesman admitted: "It's going to be a bad night for the Liberal Democrats."

But the party's President Baroness Brinton told Sky News: "I would be astonished if we only had 10 seats at the end of the night.

"I suspect that we will lose seats but I really don't believe we will go down to 10."

The poll suggests the SNP will win almost every seat in Scotland - wiping out Labour north of the border.

However, SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: "I'm hoping for a good night but I think 58 seats is unlikely! #GE15"

Labour's shadow chancellor Ed Balls said: "Clearly if the exit poll is right it is a terrible result for Labour in Scotland. I really hope it’s going to be wrong."

Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party could play some role in the formation of the next Government if the poll is correct.

When asked if they were ready to enter negotiations, deputy leader Nigel Dodds said: "We're always available to talk when it's in the interest of the country."

The Greens are predicted to win two seats, Plaid Cymru four and others 19, according to the survey.

The Ipsos MORI/Gfk NOP poll was carried out for Sky News, ITV News and the BBC at 141 polling locations in 133 constituencies across Great Britain.

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