INSTANT VIEW-PM Johnson heads for Brexit election win

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is on course to win Thursday's election, giving him the numbers in parliament needed to pass his Brexit divorce deal next month, according to an exit poll on Thursday. Below is early reaction:

JOHN BERCOW, FORMER HOUSE OF COMMONS SPEAKER "That would be a phenomenal victory for the Conservative Party and Boris Johnson will feel completely vindicated with the gamble that he took. That would be an absolutely dramatic victory."

JAMES CLEVERLY, CONSERVATIVE PARTY CHAIRMAN "I've always felt that polls should be taken with a degree of caution. We've seen over a number of electoral events in the last few years they've called it wrong."

"I've been cautious of poll results when they look good, I'm cautious of poll results when they look bad. So we'll see how the seats actually roll out before we get too excited. "If, big if, the numbers play out as per that exit poll then that is numerically a big majority but we'll want to see if it plays out."

BARRY GARDINER, LABOUR PARTY TRADE SPOKESMAN "If that is the case then obviously its a devastating result for us."

NAOMI SMITH, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE PRO-EUROPEAN CAMPAIGN GROUP BEST FOR BRITAIN "While this exit poll isn't promising, the influence of tactical voting at this election has yet to be revealed.

"Let's be clear: a majority for Boris Johnson tonight would engulf the UK in a fresh crisis. There is no Brexit deal, only an agreement to talk about a deal in the future."