By IRNA,
London : Britain’s closest election for decades will result in a hung parliament with the opposition Conservatives unable to win at least 113 additional seats to have a parliamentary majority, according to a joint exit poll.
The MORI/NOP findings published after voting ended at 22.00 BST (21.00 GMT) confirmed opinion poll forecasts that there would be no overall majority in the 650 member House of Commons.
It suggested that the Tories would win 307 seats, up 94 but still 19 short of a majority, Labour was down 90 to 255, while the Liberal Democrats were also down by 3 to 59 after being predicted to win up to 80 or 90 seats.
The exit poll, which is based upon around 16,500 interview with voters at some 130 polling stations, is considered to be much more accurate than opinion polls but as has happened in the past, it have not always proved to be correct.
A total of 4,149 candidates are standing from no less than 135 parties as well as 315 independents, with official results starting to be announced from around midnight and the majority in the following four or five hours.
In the event of a hung parliament, Prime Minister Gordon Brown remains in power until he decides whether he can command the confidence of parliament by way of agreements or a coalition with the parties or otherwise will resign allowing the Tories to try.