British election: beaten Theresa May should go

With around 60% of the results declared in the British election it is becoming clear that the exit poll is roughly correct, and it is becoming increasingly unlikely that the Conservative Party will be able to form a majority government in the British Parliament.

By contrast it is now also clear that the opposition Labour Party led by Jeremy Corbyn has increased significantly both its share of the vote and its representation in the British Parliament.

This is a total reversal of what everyone expected at the start of the election, when most opinion polls were giving the Conservatives a 20% lead over Labour, with the Conservatives universally expected to be on course to a landslide victory.

In time this result and the reasons for it will be analysed in detail.  However one thing already is utterly clear: Theresa May, Britain’s Wizard of Oz Prime Minister, has failed disastrously, presiding over an electoral upset unprecedented in recent British electoral history.

Her prestige and authority, such it was, is now gone.  It is impossible to see how she can now command the respect of her colleagues or lead the British government effectively.

She should go without further delay, preferably tomorrow, so as to give her party a chance to find someone more capable of taking over.  Whether she realises that her position is untenable I do not know.  However I expect it to be pointed out to her, and I expect her to be gone within the next few hours or days.