Boris Johnson heading for election victory as exit poll predicts landslide Tory majority

The Sky News, BBC and ITV mega-poll predicted that the Tories are on course to win 368 seats - enough to give the Tories a majority of 86.

It would mean that Mr Johnson is certain to get his Brexit deal through Parliament in time for the 31 January deadline.

Labour is on course to win just 191 seats, the exit poll said - 71 down on what they won in 2017 and their worst electoral performance in decades.

The SNP is also heading for a good night, according to the poll, with the party set to see its number of MPs increase from 35 to 55.

And Jo Swinson is likely to come major pressure after the poll predicted that the Lib Dems will only win 13 seats - with her seat set to fall to the SNP.

Plaid Cymru are on course to win three seats and the Greens one.

Despite terrible weather across the country, turnout was expected to be high as voters braved the wintry conditions to cast their ballots, with many were forced to queue outside their polling stations.

Home Secretary Priti Patel told the BBC: "We should all recognise this is a projection and not an actual result...but this has been a hard fought general election campaign at a cold time of the year as well.

"We’ve all been out on the road, we’ve had amazing candidates day in day out taking that message out across the country that we need to break the gridlock, the gridlock that has dominated Parliament in the last three years and that to move the country forward...we need a functioning Conservative majority."

Responding to the exit poll, Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell told the BBC: "If it is anywhere near this, it is extremely disappointing. We have to be honest about that."

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