After the UK woke up to the news that the 2017 general election has resulted in a hung parliament, many social media users took to Instagram and Twitter to share their reactions to the result, following what had been expected to be a landslide victory for Theresa May and the Conservative party.
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The hashtag #HungParliament was trending on Twitter on Friday, and alongside serious commentary on the results, several people poked fun at the situation by sharing memes and gifs online. One referred to Theresa May's declaration that the naughtiest thing she had ever done was "run through the fields of wheat" as a child by suggesting that today she had "let off some steam" by driving and causing wreckage through a field.
Others were concerned who may take over as leader of the Conservative party in the event of Theresa May's resignation. "Boris? Ugh. Gove? Ugh. Davis? Ugh. Rudd? Ugh. May stays? Ugh #hungparliament," they tweeted.
STORY: What is a hung parliament and what happens next?
It was proposed by some that Larry the Downing Street cat could be a good candidate for prime minister, with one Twitter user making an amusing reference to Harry Potter alongside a photo of Larry sitting on the steps of Number 10. "Professor McGonagall got PM #hungparliament #deatheatersout," he wrote.
After the exit poll suggested that the election would end in a hung parliament, one Twitter user shared a gif of people breaking out into a panic and fighting on an airplane, simply writing: "Meanwhile down at tory HQ…"
With several references to Theresa May's catchphrase of creating a "strong and stable" government, and many saying that her decision to call a snap election had backfired incredibly, it's clear that the British public could see the humour in what is now a time of political uncertainty. See some more of our favourite reactions below.
