The Conservatives are to form a minority government with support from ten MPs from the Democratic Unionist Party.

Speaking on Friday Theresa May said she intended to form a government that will provide "certainty" and guide the country through Brexit talks.

May said she was confident that the Tories would be able to work together with the DUP in the "interests of the whole UK".

"What the country needs more than ever is certainty and having secured the largest number of votes and the greatest number of seats in the general election it is clear that only the Conservative and Unionist party has the legitimacy and ability to provide that certainty by commanding a majority in the House of Commons," she said.

"As we do, we will continue to work with our friends and allies in the Democratic Unionist party in particular.

"Our two parties have enjoyed a strong relationship over many years and this gives me the confidence to believe that we will be able to work together in the interests of the whole United Kingdom.

"This will allow us to come together as a country and channel our energies towards a successful Brexit deal that works for everyone in this country, securing a new partnership with the EU which guarantees our long-term prosperity."

May spoke to the party's leader, Arlene Foster, overnight following the shock result that left the Conservatives seven seats short of an overall majority.

The result left the DUP as kingmakers after picking up ten seats that will prop up Theresa May as she returns to Downing Street.

The focus was immediately on Ms Foster's wish-list and any Brexit concessions for Northern Ireland as her party prepare to talk to the Conservatives over the weekend.

She said: "I certainly think that there will be contact made over the weekend but I think it's too soon to talk about what we're going to do. I think we need to wait and see,".

Amid noises of the DUP agreeing a confidence and supply arrangement with the Conservatives, Ms Foster will be looking for guarantees on preventing a hard border with the Republic of Ireland and any new customs operations.

One red line is the idea of Northern Ireland being granted some sort of "special status" when Brexit comes to pass.

The DUP will not stand for any arrangement that physically sets the region apart from anywhere else in the UK, including suggestions that border, immigration and customs controls could be set up at ports and airports like Stranraer and Liverpool rather than in Belfast or Larne.

Another big price to pay for the party's support in Westminster could be the reinstatement of any EU subsidies that farmers lose when Brexit is a done deal.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn had earlier called for the Prime Minister to step down from her role after failing to command the landslide she desired.

In what was a chaotic night full of shocks and surprises as results of the snap election, which was called to strengthen the Tory leader's position, were revealed.

The Prime Minister's situation appeared precarious as Conservative former minister Anna Soubry said she should "consider her position" and take personal responsibility for a "dreadful" campaign and a "deeply flawed" manifesto after choosing to go to the country three years early in the hope of extending her majority.

But another prominent internal critic, former education secretary Nicky Morgan, said Mrs May should "carry on" and was "entitled" to see whether she can form an administration.

And it wasn't only May and the Conservative Party that had a rough night in Thursday's election as the SNP also lost a string of seats and top talent from their ranks.

The record 56 seats they won in 2015 always looked like it was going to unattainable this time around but not many could have predicted their loss of 21 seats.

Nicola Sturgeon's party are still the largest in Scotland with a total of 35 seats but lost some of their biggest characters including former leader Alex Salmond and Westminster leader Angus Robertson who both lost their seats to Conservative candidates.

It was also a bad night for UKIP who failed a win a single seat resulting in Paul Nuttall resigning from his role as party leader.