Keir Starmer, leader of Britain's Labour party, reacts as he speaks at a reception to celebrate his win in the election, at Tate Modern, in London, Britain, July 5, 2024. REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett | Suzanne Plunkett
Keir Starmer vowed to bring change to Britain as its next prime minister after his Labour Party surged to a comprehensive win in a parliamentary election this morning, ending 14 years of often tumultuous Conservative government.
The centre-left Labour was set to win a massive majority in the 650-seat parliament with Rishi Sunak's Conservatives poised to suffer the worst performance in the party's long history as voters punished them for a cost of living crisis, failing public services, and a series of scandals.
"Change begins now," Starmer said in a victory speech. "We said we would end the chaos, and we will, we said we would turn the page, and we have. Today, we start the next chapter, begin the work of change, the mission of national renewal and start to rebuild our country."
Sunak had earlier conceded defeat and said he had called Starmer to congratulate him on his victory.
"Today power will change hands in a peaceful and orderly manner, with goodwill on all sides," Sunak said after regaining his seat. "There is much to learn and reflect on and I take responsibility for the loss to the many good hardworking Conservative candidates ... I am sorry."
SNP crash out
The Scottish National Party was set for its worst showing at a British parliamentary election since 2010, projections showed, derailing their push for a new independence referendum as a resurgent Labour Party made gains in former heartlands. The SNP, which held 43 seats before the election was called, has suffered from a period of turmoil that has seen two leaders quit in little over a year, a police investigation into the party's finances and splits on a range of policies including its attempts to secure a second referendum on independence.
Truss out
Former British prime minister Liz Truss, who became the country's shortest-serving leader ever when she sparked a bond market meltdown and a collapse in sterling, lost her parliamentary seat in the election. Truss secured 11,217 votes in her South West Norfolk constituency in eastern England, behind 11,847 votes for Labour candidate Terry Jermy.
Rees-Mogg out
Former British Conservative minister Jacob Rees-Mogg failed to win the parliamentary seat of North East Somerset and Hanham, losing to the Labour Party.
What difference does it make? Remains to be seen.
@james walker: You're not going to start this "election fraud" thing are you? It's already pretty tired.
Did you know that the sun really rises in the west? Yeah, the "sun rises in the east" theory has always been a conspiracy by "them". You know, "the other tribe". They did it just so they can raise taxes and make everybody poor and miserable. Shockingly, they're so incredibly clever and powerful, that they've hidden this massive conspiracy so well that even they don't know about it, and they've all been sworn to carry this secret to the grave. You know, so they can raise taxes and make everybody poor and miserable.
Get a grip, people. It's another PM and another government. It's not a footie match. They'll do well or not. We'll see.
Several weeks ago the PM Sunak warned that Britain was about to enter 5 Dangerous years.
As Britain now has " SICK EAR STAMMER " Mr. Sunak could have known more than anyone as to what these dangers were.
Now, time will tell what these dangers become?
James Walker'Doesn't have a mandate from the British people' ??? What do you think just happened, it is called a 'general election'.
You'ree not well pal, might be sunstroke, have a lie down x
TFFT. Nothing can be worse than the last 14 years of legalised theft and re appropriation of public funds into private hands. We have corruption in Spain, but at least it has a name, in the UK it is just tory party business as usual. The moaners in the columns and populating FB and other nonsense, are the well trained 'turkeys voting for Christmas', schooled by a tightly organised right wing press coalition, owner my non dom offshore tax dodgers. KS is not my favourite man in the world but anything but another 4 years of conservative rule.
Left wing MDB get there man. I give him 6 months until he looks ill and his hair falls out. I've just seen statistics that 80% of Britain didn't vote for Labour. He doesn't have a mandate from the British people. He's a dead man walking.
This is going to be very painful and very expensive he’s going to ring up more debt than anyone ever did there out of the eu that’s only going to get worse as someone said the people with money are gonna do a runner , he better have some fun but this is not gonna last rough seas ahead I tell ya !
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What difference does it make? Remains to be seen. @james walker: You're not going to start this "election fraud" thing are you? It's already pretty tired. Did you know that the sun really rises in the west? Yeah, the "sun rises in the east" theory has always been a conspiracy by "them". You know, "the other tribe". They did it just so they can raise taxes and make everybody poor and miserable. Shockingly, they're so incredibly clever and powerful, that they've hidden this massive conspiracy so well that even they don't know about it, and they've all been sworn to carry this secret to the grave. You know, so they can raise taxes and make everybody poor and miserable. Get a grip, people. It's another PM and another government. It's not a footie match. They'll do well or not. We'll see.
Good luck with that.
Several weeks ago the PM Sunak warned that Britain was about to enter 5 Dangerous years. As Britain now has " SICK EAR STAMMER " Mr. Sunak could have known more than anyone as to what these dangers were. Now, time will tell what these dangers become?
James Walker'Doesn't have a mandate from the British people' ??? What do you think just happened, it is called a 'general election'. You'ree not well pal, might be sunstroke, have a lie down x
TFFT. Nothing can be worse than the last 14 years of legalised theft and re appropriation of public funds into private hands. We have corruption in Spain, but at least it has a name, in the UK it is just tory party business as usual. The moaners in the columns and populating FB and other nonsense, are the well trained 'turkeys voting for Christmas', schooled by a tightly organised right wing press coalition, owner my non dom offshore tax dodgers. KS is not my favourite man in the world but anything but another 4 years of conservative rule.
Left wing MDB get there man. I give him 6 months until he looks ill and his hair falls out. I've just seen statistics that 80% of Britain didn't vote for Labour. He doesn't have a mandate from the British people. He's a dead man walking.
This is going to be very painful and very expensive he’s going to ring up more debt than anyone ever did there out of the eu that’s only going to get worse as someone said the people with money are gonna do a runner , he better have some fun but this is not gonna last rough seas ahead I tell ya !
Prepare for a better UK relationship with the EU than the Toxic Tories.
Prepare for in-coming ex-pats.