General Election results: Top five takeaways
Yesterday’s election was truly historic as the Conservatives consigned Labour to its worst electoral defeat since 1935.
However, there’s no need to fear if you did not stay up the long hours to watch it.
Read more: Boris Johnson says NHS is top priority in victory speech
Read more: The City reacts: Businesses ‘eager for clarity’ after Boris Johnson’s election win
Morning Wire has you covered with the five biggest takeaways from a dramatic night.
A Tory majority means Brexit by 31 January
With all but one seat declared, the Conservatives have won 364 seats, Labour 203, the Scottish National Party (SNP) 48 and the Liberal Democrats 11.
The landslide victory gives the Tories a large parliamentary majority, clearing the way for Boris Johnson to pass his Brexit deal with great ease.
That means the UK will leave the EU by 31 January 2020 as promised throughout the campaign.
The historic victory also gives Johnson the biggest Tory majority since Margaret Thatcher and makes him the most powerful prime minister since Tony Blair.
Electoral map redrawn
The path to the huge victory came thanks to an avalanche of votes from traditional Labour heartlands in the Midlands and the North.
Many seats turned from red to blue for the first time in 100 years, or in some cases the first time ever, as Brexit voters turned on Labour.
Sedgefield, Great Grimsby, Bassetlaw, Blythe Valley, Darlington, Workington, Bishop Auckland, the list goes on.
It meant that the party’s so-called “red wall” was breached, leaving Labour without its working class base.
The Conservatives will now work on keeping these blue collar voters as Tory supporters into the future and becoming the permanent party of the working class.
Corbyn to step down
From 10pm when the combined BBC, ITV and Sky News exit poll was released it became clear that Jeremy Corbyn’s four-year reign as Labour leader was all but over.
Corbyn said he will not stand as party leader at the next General Election, however he did not give any firm commitment of when he would step down.
Speaking after he retained his Islington North seat, he said: “I will lead the party during that period to ensure that discussion takes place and we move on into the future.”
The race to replace him has now begun.
Jo Swinson loses her seat and quits as Lib Dem leader
Jo Swinson started the campaign talking up her chances as being the next prime minister, however it ended in humiliation.
Swinson had previously lost her East Dunbartonshire seat in 2015 to the SNP, before winning it back in 2017.
The marginal constituency swung to the SNP once again, leaving Swinson without a seat.
She has now stepped down as leader of the Liberal Democrats and will be replaced by former energy secretary Ed Davey.
Calls for Scottish independence referendum grow louder
While Brexit looks finally to be settled, the battle for Scottish independence has gained new life.
The SNP cleaned up north of the border, winning 48 out of 59 seats and 45 per cent of the vote.
SNP leader Sturgeon immediately got out onto the front foot to say the result meant there was now a mandate for a second independence referendum.
Read more: Election live: Follow our live coverage of the 2019 General Election
Speaking to the BBC, Sturgeon said: “There is no doubt there is a mandate, I have a mandate to offer that choice.
“Boris Johnson has no right to take Scotland out of the EU and to block the Scottish people from deciding their own future.”