UK prime minister David Cameron's Conservative party is on course to secure an unexpected victory in Britain's general election.
Conservative MEP Timothy Kirkhope said his party had "defied its detractors, outperformed expectations and won an impressive victory. The people of Britain have called for continuity, growing economic stability, responsibility and reform in Europe. David Cameron will heed that call and Europe should listen too".
The result is particularly relevant to the EU, as David Cameron has promised to hold a referendum on Britain's future relations with Brussels if he secured a victory.
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If, as is now expected, he wins a majority of seats, a so-called 'Brexit' could well be on the cards.
The result comes as a surprise, after pollsters had predicted S&D-affiliated Labour and the Conservatives would be neck and neck, with no side gaining a majority.
Instead, Labour suffered a crushing defeat and are expected to lose around 47 seats. Party leader Ed Miliband is set to quit later today.
The ALDE-affiliated Liberal Democrats had the worst night of all, losing 45 seats and only securing eight MPs. This is in stark contrast with the previous general election, after which they formed a coalition with Cameron's party. Liberal leader Nick Clegg, a former MEP, is now also set to resign.
But if one party is likely to celebrate, it's the Scottish National Party, who in a landslide victory won 56 out of 59 seats for Scotland.
Meanwhile, Nigel Farage's Eurosceptic UKIP has so far won only one seat, with the party leader expected to lose in the Kent constituency of South Thanet. This raises doubts as to his future within the party, after he pledged to step down if he failed to win the seat. Farage is also co-chair of parliament's EFDD group.