A hung parliament in Britain?: What happens next

LONDON: An exit poll following Britain´s general election on Thursday suggested the country could be heading for a "hung parliament", in which no party has an overall majority.

Here is what would happen next if the forecast is confirmed by the full results, most likely due on Friday.

- If this does translate into a hung parliament when results come through, Theresa May as incumbent prime minister will have the first shot at trying to form a government -- either as a minority or in coalition with others.incumbent prime minister will have the first shot at trying to form a government -- either as a minority or in coalition with others.

- If May did manage to do this, she would then go to the House of Commons to see if her government could survive a motion of confidence, probably after the state opening of parliament on June 19.

- But if May could not form a government or did not survive the motion of confidence, she would be expected to hand in her resignation to Queen Elizabeth II.

- The monarch would then be likely to invite Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labour party, to try to form a government. That, again, could be a minority or coalition administration.

- If no government can command the confidence of the House of Commons, parliament can be dissolved and another election held. Parliament can be dissolved and another election held.

Britain´s first-past-the-post voting system means hung parliaments are relatively rare -- there have been only five since the end of the 19th century.

The last ones were:

May 2010

Prime Minister: David Cameron (Conservatives)

Composition: Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition

Lasted: Five years

February 1974

Prime Minister: Harold Wilson (Labour)

Composition: Labour minority government

Lasted: Eight months

1929

Prime Minister: Ramsey MacDonald (Labour)

Composition: Minority Labour government backed by Liberals

Lasted: until 1931, but amid the Great Depression, MacDonald formed ´National´ coalition government of Conservatives, Liberals and small number of Labour MPs which won 1931 and 1935 elections.small number of Labour MPs which won 1931 and 1935 elections.

1923

Prime Minister: Ramsey MacDonald (Labour)

Composition: Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin´s Conservatives won more seats than Labour but stepped aside for Labour´s MacDonald

Lasted: 10 months

1910

Prime Minister: Herbert Asquith (Liberal Party)

Composition: Liberal Party in a minority government, with support of Labour and the Irish Nationalists. Then a coalition government from 1915.support of Labour and the Irish Nationalists. Then a coalition government from 1915.

Lasted: Six years