Swede concern over uncertain UK election

Sweden's Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt and opposition leader Mona Sahlin have said that the inconclusive outcome of the UK election, in which no party has gained a majority, leaves Britons with a tough challenge.

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"According to current information it is not the clear election result that the British electoral system usually delivers, which would enable the tough measures that the British economy and the British people need," Fredrik Reinfeldt said.

With 615 of the 650 constituency results declared by 11am on Friday, the Conservative Party leads with 290 seats, followed by Labour on 247 and the Liberal Democrats on 51. A party needs 326 seats to claim a majority in the House of Commons. The result means the first hung parliament in the UK since 1974.

With less than five months before Sweden goes to the polls in September Reinfeldt was keen to associate himself with the apparent success of a renewed Conservative Party and their leader David Cameron.

"The major winners are the British Moderates (Conservative Party), they appear to have won around a 100 new parliamentary seats even if it does not appear to be enough to form a majority. The biggest losers are the British Social Democrats (Labour)," Reinfeldt said.

"(David) Cameron's renewal of the the Conservatives has brought confidence. The biggest loser is of course Gordon Brown. The British Social Democrats have lost their grip on the public finances," he said.

Social Democrat leader Mona Sahlin also issued a comment on the election result on Friday morning pointing out that the uncertain outcome presented tough challenges for the British parliamentary system.

"What is needed now is leadership. These are not straightforward decisions waiting the Brits or the next government," Mona Sahlin said to news agency TT.

Sahlin argued that all three major parties were probably feeling disappointed on Friday morning with Labour showing itself unable to battle high unemployment and renew itself, the Conservative party unable to secure a majority, and the Liberal Democrats failing to live up to their early election campaign promise.