Election 2017 timeline: How the night of shocks unfolded as Theresa May's campaign turned to disaster

A series of surprise developments during the most extraordinary election nights leaves May's premiership hanging in the balance

Britain will have a hung parliament, after a catastrophic election night for the Conservatives.

Following a succession of shock results across the country, the fate of Theresa May's premiership hangs firmly in the balance.

Here's a recap of how the night's events have unfolded so far:

:: 10pm

A shock exit poll predicts a hung parliament, giving the Tories 314 seats, Labour 266, the SNP 34, Liberal Democrats 14, Plaid Cymru three and Greens one - leaving the Conservatives short of an overall majority.

The pound fell dramatically against a host of other currencies after the result, with sterling trading around 1.7 per cent lower against the US dollar, at around $1.273.

:: 11pm

The first result of the election is declared, with Labour holding Newcastle upon Tyne Central and increasing majority in the seat compared to 2015.

Chi Onwurah was re-elected as MP with 24,071 votes – 64.9 per cent of the vote – while Conservative candidate Steve Kyte picked up 9,134 votes, or 24.6 per cent.

::11.20pm

Ukip leader Paul Nuttall voices his concerns that Brexit might now not happen.

:: 12.30am

Nervous Conservatives start to distance themselves from Theresa May and her campaign as the prospect of a hung parliament looms over Britain.

International Trade Secretary Liam Fox sidesteps questions about whether Ms May would be forced to resign if the Tories failed to win a majority.

:: 1.10am

The Conservatives fail to take one of their top target seats in Wales, casting further doubt on whether Ms May will win a substantial majority.

Labour MP Ian Lucas held on in Wrexham, with both Jeremy Corbyn's party and Theresa May's party up around 5,000 votes.

:: 1.14am

The first defeat of the night comes in Lanarkshire, where Labour's Ged Killen narrowly takes Rutherglen and Hamilton West from the SNP's Margaret Ferrier.

:: 1.25am

A second Tory target seat, Tooting, in south London, sees Labour's Rosena Allin-Khan hold and increase the vote share by more than 10 per cent on Mayor Sadiq Khan's 2015 result.

:: 1.30am

Turnout is increased in nearly every seat announced so far.

The overall turnout after 31 constituency results was 66 per cent, as of 1.30am – up 4 per cent from 2015.

:: 2am

Labour unseats Conservative junior minister Jane Ellison fromBattersea in south London by Marsha de Cordova.

:: 2.20am

SNP Westminster leader Angus Robertson loses his Moray seat to Conservative Douglas Ross.

Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish First Minister, said she was “disappointed” following a dismal set of results in the general election, including Mr Robertson's failure to hold his seat.

:: 2.40am

Boris Johnson has his majority in the seat of Uxbridge slashed in half.

Mr Johnson takes 23,716 votes, a majority of 5,034 ahead of Labour's Vincent Lo.

:: 2.45am

Lib Dem Jo Swinson takes East Dunbartonshire from SNP star John Nicolson, who took the seat from her in 2015.

:: 2.47am

Lib Dem deputy Nick Clegg loses his Sheffield Hallam seat, the nadir of a mixed night for the liberals.

The former party leader had been MP since 2005, but lost out to Labour's Jared O'Mara.

:: 3am

Sir Vince Cable has won back his Twickenham seat from the Conservatives.

The Liberal Democrat politician had held the constituency since 1997, but was beaten by Tory Dr Tania Mathias in 2015 with a majority of just 2,017.

The 74-year-old wrested back his seat with 52.7 per cent of the vote, compared to Dr Mathias's 38 per cent.

:: 3.10am

Jeremy Corbyn holds his Islington north seat, increasing his majority by 10,430 votes.

The Labour leader gained 40,086 votes in North Islington. The Conservatives won 6,871 votes, while the Lib Dems and the Greens had 4,946 and 2,229 votes respectively.

:: 3.12am

Labour gains the constituency of Peterborough from the Conservatives after a recount.

Tory candidate Stewart Jackson was ousted by solicitor Fiona Onasanya, who received 48.1 per cent of the vote compared to Mr Jackson's 46.8 per cent. The seat was too close to call in the exit polls and a recount of bundled votes delayed the final result.

:: 3.25am

Ms May is re-elected in Maidenhead with a majority one per cent smaller than in 2015. Accepting victory, she indicates the Tories will seek to remain in power to ensure "stability".

:: 4.15am

Conservative MP Anna Soubry calls on Ms May to "consider her position".

"It was a dreadful campaign," Ms Soubry said. When asked to explain what she meant by that, she added: "Well, where do you want me to begin?"

She took her seat of Broxtowe in Nottinghamshire with almost 26,000 votes, a majority of just 863 ahead of Labour's Greg Marshall, way down from her 2015 majority of 4,287.

:: 4.30am

One of the main authors of the Conservatives' 2017 election manifesto has lost his seat.

Ben Gummer, the Cabinet Office Minister, saw his 3,700 majority in Ipswich overturned by Labour, whose candidate Sandy Martin won by just 831 votes.

He received 23,393 votes compared to Ms Martin's 24,224 - a 10.3 per cent increase in Labour's vote since 2015.

:: 4.40am

Labour wins the seat of Kemptown in Brighton from the Conservatives.

Lloyd Russell-Moyle received a majority of 9,868 in a 10.8 per cent swing to the joint Labour and Co-operative Party candidate.

Simon Kirby, the Conservative candidate, took 38.3 per cent of the vote compared to Mr Russell-Moyle's 58.3 per cent.

:: 5.20 am

John Curtice, the UK's most prominent psephologist and the man behind the general election exit poll, says there is not now "any way at all that the Conservatives can get to the 326 mark" and win an outright majority.