After months of predictions from politicians of all parties, media pundits and academic experts that the U.K. was heading for its second consecutive hung parliament, the voters delivered a truly stunning verdict.
An exit poll released when the polls closed predicted a result no-one had seen coming: an increased number of Conservative MPs, a nationalist sweep in Scotland and a disappointing Labour return, ruling the left out of government. And, despite initial scepticism from almost all observers, it turned out to be right on the money.
There was to be no complex wrangling over coalitions and no minority government, as had been expected for months. Instead, David Cameron’s Conservative Party defied all predictions to win an outright parliamentary majority, securing 331 out of 650 seats. The main opposition, the Labour party, was left with just 232.
