SNP could lose half parliamentary seats

Britain's election exit poll says the Scottish National Party could lose almost half its seats in Parliament.

Britain's election exit poll says the SNP could lose almost half its seats in Parliament. (AAP)

It forecasts the SNP will get 34 of Scotland's 59 seats, down from the 56 the pro-independence party won in the 2015 election. The pollsters caution that there is a lot of uncertainty around the forecast.

The result comes as the Conservatives, once all-but-extinct in Scotland, make a comeback there.

A big loss could complicate the SNP's plans to push for a new referendum on Scottish independence as Britain prepares to leave the European Union.