'May's illegitimate? Farron got a REDUCED vote' Hannan slaps down Lib Dem for slamming PM

The Tory MEP said the PM got an increased vote and 318 seats, whereas Mr Farron got a reduced vote and just 12 seats in the election.

The MEP for South East England tweeted: “Eighty-five percent of us voted for pro-Brexit parties. The parties that wanted another referendum-Greens, SNP, Lib Dems-lost ground.”

However, responding to the Lib Dem leader’s calls for the prime minister to resign, Mr Hannan backed the Prime Minister. 

He tweeted: “I love it when Tim Farron calls Theresa May illegitimate. She got an increased vote and 318 seats. He got a reduced vote and 12.”

The Liberal Democrats gained just three seats in Thursday’s vote, the Conservatives fell sort of a majority leaving the country with a hung parliament. 

Speaking after the results of the snap election last week, Mr Farron said: “She put her party before her country. She has been found out. She should be ashamed.

“She has brought weakness and uncertainty. If she has an ounce of self-respect she will resign.”

Mr Farron also praised the former Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, despite him being defeated in the election.

He said: “Nick Clegg is a giant of British politics, a friend and a hero to me and to countless others.

“Not only did he lead our party into government for the first time in generations, he did so in the most difficult of circumstances and for the most noble of reasons.”

The Conservatives remain to be the biggest party in the House of Commons and have been in talks with the Northern Ireland party, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), about having its support in key votes. 

The 318 Tory MPs and the 10 DUP MPs would together make up more than half of the MPs in the House of Commons. 

The Liberal Democrats failed to attract hoards of voters after their promise to capitalise on the 48 per cent of Remainers. 

Before the election, the Liberal Democrats had nine seats and now they have 12 seats.