Election results 2019: 15 things you may have missed from election night

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A clash of Lord Buckethead and Count Binface, a failed challenger in the race to declare first, and some big political knockouts - there's been a lot going on during election result night.

So here are some of the things you might have missed.

1. Nicola Sturgeon cheered Jo Swinson's loss

It's not been a great night for the Lib Dems - its leader Jo Swinson lost her Dunbartonshire East seat to the SNP by 149 votes. But someone who appeared to be pretty happy about that was SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon.

She was caught on camera cheering - waving her fists in the air - when the results were announced.

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Ms Sturgeon later told Sky News she had "got overexcited" at the performance of the SNP and offered her commiserations to Ms Swinson on a personal level, saying she had a great deal of sympathy for her.

2. A recount caused an upset in the bid to be first

Media caption,

Sunderland and Newcastle rivalry to get election results out quickly

Sunderland is normally the first to declare its results but in 2017 it lost out to its neighbour Newcastle Central. This year, a new constituency threw its hat into the ring. Blyth Valley wanted to steal the crown and was aiming to declare in 44 minutes.

But that result was delayed because it needed a recount (It turned out to be the first shock result - with the Tories taking the seat from Labour for the first time since 1950.)

So this year Newcastle managed to hang on to its title - declaring at 23:26.

3. A voter's wedding ring was found

Trafford Council found more than just votes in its ballot box during the count.

It found a wedding ring inside a box at Cloverlea Primary School. It told the owner to get in touch to be reunited with it.

4. A "count" goaded a "lord" at Boris Johnson's count

Media caption,

Boris Johnson heard his election result next to a man in a mask

Forget the rivalry between Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn - there was a more feisty political fight on the night.

Lord Buckethead and Count Binface went up against each other in the prime minister's constituency of Uxbridge and South Ruislip.

While they waited for the results to be announced, the "count" drew the battle lines by mocking his political rival. He made a thumbs down behind his back, shouted "fake news" and was heard singing the US national anthem.

When asked to stand together for a photo, Lord Buckethead said: "We are going to violate some serious intergalactic treaties."

5. One victorious MP brought her two-week-old baby with her

Media caption,

Labour's Stella Creasy was re-elected - and appeared at the count with her two-week-old daughter in a sling

While many of us were sleeping, the results for Walthamstow were declared which saw Labour's Stella Creasy re-elected.

There was one other person who slept through all the drama on the night - her two-week-old daughter Hettie. She was snoozing peacefully in a sling on her mum's chest as the results were revealed.

Ms Creasy is the UK's first MP to have a "locum MP" to provide maternity cover.

6. A sexting ex-MP's wife took her estranged husband's seat

Kate Griffiths told her estranged husband Andrew she didn't want his support in her bid to be an MP.

And it turned out she didn't need it.

She was elected as the new Conservative MP in her husband's old seat of Burton. Mr Griffiths resigned as small business minister in July after a newspaper reported he sent two women more than 2,000 messages in 21 days, weeks after the birth of his first child.

7. Jess Phillips had an interesting take on Labour's search for answers

It's been a pretty bruising night for Labour and now its supporters have the task of figuring out where it all went wrong.

But there's not going to be a simple solution as Labour MP Jess Phillips pointed out.

"This is not a time for easy answers, as much as I wish it was, I wish there was some silver bullet but I also wish I was a size 10."

8. Tensions hit breaking point in Hayes and Harlington

Media caption,

Scuffles break out at Hayes & Harlington during speech by Labour's John McDonnell

A fight broke out as Labour's John McDonnell was declared the winner in Hayes and Harlington.

Video footage and photos show police officers having to calm down the crowd. Mr McDonnell has blamed Brexit for Labour's result in the general election.

He told Sky News: "I think on the policy issues we won the argument but we literally couldn't break through Brexit."

9. Andrew Neil issued a political burn to Theresa May

The BBC's Andrew Neil is known for his straight-talking interviews with politicians. And election night was no exception.

Speaking to the former Tory PM Theresa May, he pointed out when she called a general election in 2017 she lost her majority - yet Boris had gained a pretty big one.

So he had one question: "What has he done right that you did wrong?"

Ouch.

10. The famous royal stolen pencil turned up

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It's probably the most famous pencil in the world right now - and it turned up just before election night got going.

Radio 1 host Greg James unveiled the pencil singer Camila Cabello stole from Kensington Palace on Twitter. He revealed it in a photo outside a polling station, along with the caption: "The famous pencil got a run out this evening."

Wonder how that will affect its value? Let's get the Antiques Roadshow on the phone again, please.

11. Ruth Davidson avoids having to skinny dip in Loch Ness (just)

Former Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson made a bold pledge.

If the Scottish National Party won 50 seats she would go skinny dipping in Loch Ness.

The SNP finished with 48 of the 59 parliamentary seats available in Scotland - up from the 35 seats they previously held.

Ms Davidson previously said she was making the pledge safe in the knowledge "that my modesty (and others' eyeballs) will remain unmolested".

She said: "I will happily wager to strip naked on the banks of Loch Ness and subject myself to a Hogmanay wild swimming session should such a result occur."

Speaking after the election results, she said it was "never in doubt" she would avoid having to take the plunge.

12. Tories say they've taken seats that hold carnival and a miners' gala (but that's not true)

Addressing Conservative supporters, Cabinet Minister Michael Gove said that the Tories were "truly a party for the whole nation".

He added: "Just think about it, next year both the Durham Miners' Gala and the Notting Hill Carnival will take place in seats represented by Conservative MPs."

Turns out that's not actually true.

The Durham Miners' Gala is held in the City of Durham which continues to be a Labour seat. The Tories took the seat of Durham North West from Labour in the general election.

Awkward.

13. The number of women MPs hit a new record

There will be a record number of women MPs in the new Parliament.

Labour will have the most, with 104; the Conservatives 86.

14. Boris Johnson sends a message to anti-Brexit protester

Image source, PA Media

Anyone who has watched any TV coverage of the Brexit debate over the last few months will know this man - Steve Bray.

The anti-Brexit campaigner is known for standing outside the House of Commons and shouting "stop Brexit" through a giant megaphone.

Well, the prime minister had a message for him.

In a Conservative victory speech, Boris Johnson said: "I say respectfully to our stentorian friend in the blue 12 star hat, that's it.

"Time to put a sock in the megaphone and give everybody some peace."

15. ITV's Tom Bradby took an on-camera nap

Hundreds of journalists have been working through the night to keep the public up-to-date on what's been going on.

For ITV's Tom Bradby that involved hours of non-stop reporting. So it was only natural that when he handed over to the morning team he was, well, pretty much ready for a break.

We feel you Tom. We really do.

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