The incumbent party before the dissolution of parliament was Gordon Brown's  , exit polls suggested a small  majority, which—when this swing is projected nationally—would cause a . The exit polls also suggested that despite reports that support for the  had surged following the first national televised leaders' debates in the United Kingdom, the Liberal Democrats would suffer from a third party squeeze. On the morning of Friday 7, 2010 the accuracy of the exit polls was demonstrated when it was revealed that there was indeed a hung Parliament and that although the Conservative Party had the greatest number of seats and votes it would be impossible for them to achieve an outright majority. The constitution of the United Kingdom allows for the incumbent Labour Party to first attempt to form a government and incumbent Prime Minister , announced that he would allow civil servants from the Cabinet Office to help facilitate negotiations. Despite the Labour Party openly courting the Liberal Party, their leader  has stated that as the party with the most seats and most votes the Conservatives have the right to attempt to form a government. Some seats were also be contested by one or more of a number of smaller parties and independents, including the  , the , and the  , who all already hold seats in the  and local government authorities, all hoped to gain their first seats in the in this election. History was made when the Greens won their first Parliamentery with their leader  winning . In Northern Ireland the also won their first seat with taking 's seat. Overall standings PartySeatsNet gainVotesShare  305 +97 10,681,417 36.1\%  258 -91 8,601,441 29.1\%  57 -5 6,805,665 23.0\% 8 -1 168,216 0.6\% 6 0 491,386 1.7\% 5 0 171,942 0.6\% 3 +1 165,394 0.6\% 3 0 110,970 0.4\% 1 +1 42,762 0.1\%  1 +1 284,566 1.0\% Table Colour Party Red Blue Yellow Yellow (Northern Ireland) Bright Yellow Green (England)  Light Green (Wales) Light Green (N. Ireland) Dark Green Brown Purple Grey Black Poll delayed White Undeclared
The incumbent party before the dissolution of parliament was Gordon Brown's Labour Party , exit polls suggested a small Conservative Party majority, which—when this swing is projected nationally—would cause a . The exit polls also suggested that despite reports that support for the Liberal Democrats had surged following the first national televised leaders' debates in the United Kingdom, the Liberal Democrats would suffer from a third party squeeze. On the morning of Friday 7, 2010 the accuracy of the exit polls was demonstrated when it was revealed that there was indeed a hung Parliament and that although the Conservative Party had the greatest number of seats and votes it would be impossible for them to achieve an outright majority. The constitution of the United Kingdom allows for the incumbent Labour Party to first attempt to form a government and incumbent Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced that he would allow civil servants from the Cabinet Office to help facilitate negotiations. Despite the Labour Party openly courting the Liberal Party, their leader Nick Clegg has stated that as the party with the most seats and most votes the Conservatives have the right to attempt to form a government. Some seats were also be contested by one or more of a number of smaller parties and independents, including the United Kingdom Independence Party, the British National Party , and the Green Party of England and Wales , who all already hold seats in the European Parliament and local government authorities, all hoped to gain their first seats in the in this election. History was made when the Greens won their first Parliamentery with their leader Caroline Lucas winning . In Northern Ireland the also won their first seat with taking 's seat. Overall standings PartySeatsNet gainVotesShare Conservative Party 305 +97 10,681,417 36.1\% Labour Party 258 -91 8,601,441 29.1\% Liberal Democrats 57 -5 6,805,665 23.0\% 8 -1 168,216 0.6\% 6 0 491,386 1.7\% 5 0 171,942 0.6\% 3 +1 165,394 0.6\% 3 0 110,970 0.4\% 1 +1 42,762 0.1\% Green Party of England and Wales 1 +1 284,566 1.0\% Table Colour Party Red Labour Blue Conservative Yellow Liberal Democrats Yellow (Northern Ireland) Bright Yellow Green (England) Green Light Green (Wales) Light Green (N. Ireland) Dark Green Brown Purple Grey Black Poll delayed White Undeclared
A
Labour Party
A
Conservative Party
A
Liberal Democrats
R
,
Gordon Brown
A
Nick Clegg
A
United Kingdom Independence Party, the British National Party
D
the ,
A
Green Party of England and Wales
A
European Parliament
A
Caroline Lucas
A
Conservative Party
A
Labour Party
A
Liberal Democrats
A
Green Party of England and Wales
R
Blue
Labour Blue Conservative Yellow Liberal Democrats
D
Yellow
A
Green