Two of Theresa May's closest aides quit following General Election result

After a snap election was called by Prime Minister Theresa May the United Kingdom went to the polls yesterday. The closely fought election has failed to return a clear overall majority winner and a hung parliament has been declared. (Carl Court/Getty Images)

THERESA MAY’S two closest aides have quit in the wake of the disastrous General Election result while the Prime Minister sought to shore up her position in Number 10 by sending her Chief Whip to lead talks with the Democratic Unionist Party.

Mrs May’s joint chiefs of staff Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill resigned in the wake of the election which saw Mrs May lose her Commons majority.

The Prime Minister has made clear she wants support from her “friends and allies” in Northern Ireland’s DUP to secure her minority administration ahead of the Queen’s Speech on June 19 and has sent Gavin Williamson to Belfast to lead the talks.

The role of Mr Timothy and Ms Hill as Mrs May’s joint chiefs of staff had been severely criticised by disgruntled Tories in the wake of the election result.

Martin Selmayr, senior aide to European Commission President JeanClaude-Juncker, has likened the resignations of Mr Timothy and Ms Hill to the sacrifice of a pawn in the game of chess, using the word “bauernopfer” in a tweet.