British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says it looks like his Conservative Party has won “a powerful new mandate to get Brexit done” in the country’s general election.
He says the work of delivering Brexit will begin as soon as all the results are in from Thursday’s vote.
Johnson called the election “historic” as he was announced the winner of his Uxbridge constituency in suburban London. The Conservatives appear to be on course to win a solid majority of the 650 seats in the House of Commons.
His main rival, the opposition Labour Party, looked to be facing a notably heavy defeat, losing dozens of seats.
As of 11:40 p.m. ET, live results on BBC News and CNN showed the Conservatives with more than 288 seats, while Labour hovers around 187 seats.
While the final results are not yet known, an exit poll showed the Conservatives are projected to win 368 seats, compared with 191 for Labour.
Johnson called the election to force an end to the Brexit saga.
The nation’s departure from European Union was narrowly backed in a 2016 referendum, but has dragged on in Parliament for three years, with no solution to the impasse in sight.
The leaders of the two largest parties promised to take Brexit in very different directions.
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Johnson and the Conservatives have relied on the message of “Get Brexit Done” throughout the campaign. A majority mandate would clear the way for his deal to pass, allowing the nation to leave the EU by the end-of-January deadline.
Socialist Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn had said his party would hammer out a new deal with the EU within three months if he wins, and put the deal to a national referendum within six months, giving voters the option of backing the revised deal or choosing to remain in the EU.
There are 650 seats in the U.K. Parliament.
Prior to dissolution, the Conservative party had 298 seats, Labour had 243 and the Scottish National Party occupied 35. Independents, Liberal Democrats and others made up the rest of the seats in the U.K. House of Commons.
Johnson has been prime minister since July, following the resignation of Theresa May. Her Brexit deal was repeatedly rejected by MPs.
Johnson struck a new agreement with the EU in October but failed to make it official through a successful parliamentary vote.
— With files from the Associated Press
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