A Labour victory in the constituency of Southampton Test has made it impossible for any party to reach the 326 MPs needed to achieve an absolute majority in the House of Commons.
- Conservative leader Theresa May, as incumbent prime minister, will have the first shot at trying to form a government - either as a minority or in coalition with others.
- If Mrs May did manage to do this, she would then go to the House of Commons to see if her government could survive a motion of confidence, probably after the state opening of parliament on 19 June.
- But if Mrs May could not form a government or did not survive the motion of confidence, she would be expected to hand in her resignation to Queen Elizabeth II.
- The monarch would then be likely to invite Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, to try to form a government. That, again, could be a minority or coalition administration.
- If no government can command the confidence of the House of Commons, parliament can be dissolved and another election held.
