Labour ousts conservatives, Starmer to become UK prime minister
Labour Party leader Keir Starmer acknowledges his supporters during a post election rally at the Tate Modern in London, Friday, July 5, 2024 (AP Photo)
After 14 years of Conservative rule, the Labour Party has claimed a significant victory in the UK, winning 326 seats and securing a majority in Parliament. Keir Starmer is set to become the new Prime Minister within hours.
The center-left Labour Party ended the Conservative Party’s long-standing control. Rishi Sunak, acknowledging the defeat at around 4:40 AM, stated, “The Labour Party has won this general election, and I have called Keir Starmer to congratulate him.”
Anticipated labour triumph
The House of Commons consists of 650 Members of Parliament (MPs), each representing an individual constituency across the country. According to the latest BBC projections, Labour is expected to hold 410 seats, the Conservatives 144, and the centrist Liberal Democrats 58.
Meanwhile, the Reform Party, the successor to the Brexit Party, saw its projected seat count drop from 13 to four.
Although Labour is expected to achieve a 170-seat majority, it still falls short of the 179-seat majority the party secured under Tony Blair in the 1997 election.
Swift transition of power
The transition in British politics is rapid, with minimal time between election results and the new Prime Minister’s appointment. Rishi Sunak will vacate the Prime Minister’s residence at 10 Downing Street within 24 hours, allowing Sir Keir Starmer to take office immediately afterward.
The process involves Sunak submitting his resignation to the King, followed by Sir Keir being formally invited by the monarch, usually at Buckingham Palace, to form a new government.
Who is Keir Starmer?
Sir Keir began his career as a lawyer in the 1990s and was appointed Director of Public Prosecutions, the senior prosecutor in England and Wales, in 2008.
He was first elected in 2015 as the MP for Holborn and St Pancras in North London and took over the Labour Party leadership after its 2019 general election defeat, promising a “new era” following Jeremy Corbyn’s left-wing leadership.
Re-elected in the same constituency on Thursday, Sir Keir, in his victory speech, declared that people are “ready for change” and vowed to end “performance politics.”
