The Conservatives have been forced to clarify that they are still negotiating with Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) after the party announced that an agreement had already been reached “in error”.

The admission comes amid calls for Conservatives leader Theresa May to resign, both within her party and among voters. Two of her closest advisers have already quit following the disappointing election result.

Sky News sources said the Conservatives had issued the statement “in error” and the DUP had not yet reached any agreement with the Tories.

DUP leader Arlene Foster told Sky News she would meet Ms May on Tuesday. A DUP statement further confirmed that discussions would continue this week.

A YouGov poll for the Sunday Times has found that almost half (48 per cent) of Britons believed Ms May should resign.

Another poll by Survation, published in the Mail on Sunday, recorded 49 per cent of the population as saying she should quit, with 38 per cent saying she should remain in the post.

In a further sign of her weakened position, Ms May has foregone an expected post-election reshuffle, retaining her existing cabinet.

The 60-year-old leader confirmed most of the ministers in her cabinet in an apparent reversal of earlier plans to replace those who were considered less than loyal.

One addition to the cabinet was vocal Brexit campaigner Michael Gove as the minister for environment, food and rural affairs, a comeback for the man who failed in his bid to lead the party after last year’s referendum.

Mr Gove, who led sweeping reforms when running the education and justice departments under former PM David Cameron, was criticised by Conservatives for killing off a leadership bid by foreign minister Boris Johnson last year when he also decided to run

Labour won 262 seats in Thursday’s general election, up from the 232 secured by Ed Miliband in 2015. However, the Conservatives remain the largest party in Parliament.

A puppet depicting Theresa May stands in front of the Houses of Parliament in Westminster following the General Election results. Photo: AP

Ms May is relying on the support of the Democratic Unionist Party’s 10 MPs to form government.

The Survation poll gave Labour a five-point lead over the Tories, with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s party on 45 per cent and the Tories on 39 per cent.

About 41 per cent said Ms May should resign “immediately”, while 20 per cent believed she should leave within the next six months, and 23 per cent said only after negotiating Brexit.

In the same poll, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson was the favourite to replace her, with more than one in four people nominating him.

But Mr Johnson has denied any plot to take over Ms May’s position as prime minister, labelling any such rumours as “tripe”.

“I am backing Theresa May,” he said. “Let’s get on with the job.”

Meanwhile, Conservative Nigel Evans confirmed several other Conservative MPs were also calling for the Prime Minister’s resignation.

George Osborne, former Conservative Chancellor and now a newspaper editor, branded Ms May a “dead woman walking” during a television interview and said the only question that remained was the precise timing of her replacement.

This followed the announcement of Ms May’s co-chiefs of staff Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill resigning from their posts.

Mr Timothy said in a statement that he had failed to carry out an effective election campaign and the result was a “huge disappointment”.

“I take responsibility for my part in this election campaign, which was the oversight of our policy program.”

‘I can still be Prime Minister’

As negotiations continue, Mr Corbyn insists he could still become prime minister, vowing to fight Ms May’s attempt to run a minority government.

“I can still be prime minister. This is still on. Absolutely,” the Labour leader told the Sunday Mirror.

“Theresa May has been to the palace. She’s now attempting to form a government. She’s then got to present a programme to Parliament.

“There’s a possibility of voting the Queen’s Speech down and we’re going to push that all the way.”

– with AAP