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As it happenedended1576314045

Election results – live: Boris Johnson says NHS will be priority as he reaches out to Remainers following historic win

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General election 2019: Boris Johnson arrives at Downing Street

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Eric Garcia

Washington Bureau Chief

Boris Johnson has said he will make the NHS an "overwhelming priority" during his renewed tenure in No. 10 following a political “earthquake” which which saw Labour support give way top a comfortable Tory majority.

However he has not extended the same olive branch to voters north of the border - telling Nicola Sturgeon he would not lend any support to a second independence referendum.

Meanwhile Jeremy Corbyn has refused to take responsibility for the worst Labour showing since 1935 - blaming Brexit for the party’s devastating defeat.

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How to leave the country

It was reported in the run-up to the general election that some people were considering leaving the UK if the Boris Johnson won a majority.

If you'd like to escape the next five years of Tory government, The Independent's deputy travel editor Helen Coffey has this advice:

Chris Baynes13 December 2019 14:37
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Diane Abbott blames Lib Dem ‘carpetbagger’ for loss in London

Like many Labour figures, Diane Abbott has blamed Emma Dent Coad’s loss in Kensington on Lib Dem Sam Gyimah – calling him a “carpetbagger” (a US term for candidate looking to get elected in an area where they have no local connections”).

Adam Forrest13 December 2019 14:40
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Tories hold last seat

We finally have a result in the last constituency to declare in this election.

Derek Thomas, the Conservative candidate for St Ives, has retained the seat where he was defending a slim 312-vote majority.

He increased his majority over second-placed Lib Dems.

Chris Baynes13 December 2019 14:49
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Full results for 2019 general election

That St Ives declaration means we now have the full breakdown of results for all 650 seats across the country.

They are as follows:

Conservatives: 365 (+47)

Labour: 203 (-59)

Scottish National Party: 48 (+13)

Liberal Democrats: 11 (-1)

Democratic Unionist Party: 8 (-2)

Sinn Fein: 7 (=)

Plaid Cymru: 4 (=)

Social Democratic and Labour Party: 2 (+2)

Green: 1 (=)

Alliance Party: 1 (+1)

You can see how the UK's political map has been withdrawn in full with our interactive results guide.

Chris Baynes13 December 2019 14:55
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Johnson speaking outside Number 10 after election victory

Boris Johnson is now speaking outside in Downing Street, addressing the nation for the first time after being re-elected as prime minister.

He thanks people who have never voted Conservative before for backing the party and says he will keep his promise to "get Brexit  done" by 31 January.

"I say thank you for the trust you have placed in us and me, and we will work around the clock to repay your trust and deliver on your priorities," he says.

Chris Baynes13 December 2019 15:09
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PM reaches out to Remainers in first speech

Boris Johnson addressed those who did not back him or Brexit during his first official speech following re-election, in a notable difference in tone from Theresa May's Downing Street address following her disastrous 2017 snap election.

The prime minister urged "everyone to find closure and to let the healing begin", adding that "the overwhelming priority of the British people is that we should focus, above all, on the NHS".

Addressing those who want to remain in the EU, he said: "We in this one nation Conservative government will never ignore your good and positive feelings of warmth and sympathy to the other nations in Europe".

He added: "This country deserves a break from wrangling, a break from politics and a permanent break from talking about Brexit."

With that, he wished voters a happy Christmas and returned to Number 10.

Chris Baynes13 December 2019 15:23
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Watch Johnson's Downing Street speech

Here's a video of that speech in full:

Chris Baynes13 December 2019 15:34
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Second referendum off table, concede campaigners

The People's Vote campaign has conceded that a second Brexit referendum is no longer on the cards after Boris Johnson secured a significant Conservative majority.

The campaign group said it would "rebrand" in the new year to focus on pushing for a "fair deal for Britain" in the Brexit negotiations.

"The People's Vote will now refocus its campaign to concentrate on vital social issues that this Government must urgently prioritise in its Brexit negotiations," it said in a statement.

"We urge the government to avoid a hard Brexit that will be a disaster for our country and instead work with our European partners to get the fair deal that British people deserve.

"The poorest and most vulnerable will be further marginalised if Boris Johnson's Government crashes us out of the EU with no deal.

"Early next year the People's Vote campaign will rebrand and reorganise to campaign for a fair deal for Britain."

Chris Baynes13 December 2019 15:36
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London mayor blames Corbyn for Labour's catastrophic' defeat

Sadiq Khan has blamed Labour's "catastrophic" defeat on Jeremy Corbyn's leadership and the party's "repeated failure" to tackle antisemitism.

Writing on Facebook, the mayor of London said: "If we are truly honest with ourselves, we knew in our hearts that Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership was deeply unpopular with the British people and that we were extremely unlikely to form a Labour government last night.

"Labour’s shocking and repeated failure to tackle anti-Semitism, and our inability to put forward a credible and believable set of priorities for governing have made a major contribution to the scale of this defeat."

Khan called on a leadership election to replace Corbyn to happen "quickly" so the party can "change fundamentally in order to rise to [the] challenges" of Brexit and the union with Scotland".

He added: "This will not be a quick or easy job, and anyone who says they know all the answers today is not credible, whether they are blaming Brexit alone or anything else."

Khan is the latest in a string of Labour figures to have criticised Corbyn following the party's disastrous performance in the election. 

The Labour leader has indicated he will step down "early next year".

Chris Baynes13 December 2019 16:01
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Pence congratulates Johnson on 'historic win'

US vice-president Mike Pence has congratulated Boris Johnson on the Tories' election victory, and said the Trump administration was keen to strike a trade deal with Britain.

Chris Baynes13 December 2019 16:04

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