Theresa May refused to answer questions over whether she would resign after a shock exit poll predicted the Conservative Party would fail to win a majority.
Arriving at the count for her Maidenhead constituency, May blanked Sky News reporter Kay Burley, who shouted: “Prime Minister - are you going to resign, Prime Minister?”
Despite wildly positive predictions for the Tories from pollsters at the start of the campaign, the exit poll suggested the party would win just 314 seats - 12 short of the 326 needed for a majority.
Last night, former chancellor George Osborne said the election would be “completely catastrophic” for May if the prediction was correct.
But Burley’s question divided among viewers. Some commended the journalist for her tenacity:
But others said the question was premature and “embarrassing”, with many seats still to be announced:
While May was re-elected in her constituency, Jeremy Corbyn called on her step down as Prime Minister.
Speaking after winning re-election in his Islington North seat in the early hours of Friday morning, the Labour leader said: “The prime minister called the election because she wanted a mandate.”
“Well the mandate she’s got is lost Conservative seats, lost votes, lost support and lost confidence. I would have thought that is enough for her to go, actually.”