But early on Friday, Mrs. May hinted that her Conservative Party would try to form a government
even if it did not have a majority, arguing that Britain needed “a period of stability.”
If the Conservative Party “has won the most seats and probably the most votes, then it will be incumbent on us,” she said.
One Conservative lawmaker, Anna Soubry, said on national television
that it had been a “dreadful campaign” and would force the prime minister to “consider her position.”
The opposition Labour Party, led by Jeremy Corbyn, was projected to be on track for 262 seats, up 30 from 2015,
significantly elevating Mr. Corbyn’s standing after predictions that his party would be further weakened.
“Even if May manages to cling on to a majority, we see a real risk
that her leadership is challenged, especially following an unsuccessful election campaign that has managed to both weaken her personal credibility and make far-left Labour leader Corbyn relevant again,” he said as the votes were being counted.
Mrs. May, the Conservative leader, called the snap election three years early, expecting to cruise to a smashing victory
that would win her a mandate to see Britain through the long and difficult negotiations with European leaders over the terms of leaving the union.
The former chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, said
that for Mrs. May losing a majority would be “completely catastrophic” for her and the Conservative Party.
