Labour celebrates landslide victory in the UK - Keir Starmer appointed Prime Minister
The new Prime Minister announced that his government would "rebuild Great Britain" by creating prosperity in every community. Shortly before that, King Charles III had appointed the 61-year-old Starmer as the new Prime Minister and entrusted him with government formation. Before that, Charles had rejected Sunak's resignation.
Labour won 412 seats in the election, which is significantly more than the 326 seats needed for an absolute majority in the House of Commons. The party came close to its record result of 1997 under Tony Blair, when it won 418 seats. The ruling Conservatives managed only 121 seats and achieved the worst result in their history. Sunak called the result "disappointing" and announced his resignation as party leader.
The opposition Liberal Democrats also made significant gains and gained 71 seats according to the preliminary results. This is the best result in the party's history, surpassing the Scottish National Party, which gained only nine seats and significantly fewer than in the previous election.
The anti-immigration Reform UK Party of Brexit supporter Nigel Farage gained four seats. Farage himself managed to enter the British Parliament for the first time in his eighth attempt. The British Greens also gained four seats.
In the 14 years of Tory governments, the British women and men had experienced a total of five conservative prime ministers - in 2022, there were three within four months. Liz Truss could only last 49 days in office - a negative record.
Four of the five most recent Conservative government leaders lost their seats on Thursday. Former Prime Ministers and ministers Boris Johnson, David Cameron, Theresa May, and Liz Truss lost their parliamentary seats to opposition candidates. Only Sunak managed to defend his parliamentary seat.
The Conservatives had conducted a largely negative campaign, warning against tax increases under a Labour government and announcing a tougher approach on the topics of migration and security. Labour leader Starmer, on the other hand, campaigned for a return to seriousness in British politics, promised long-term economic growth, and presented himself above all as a servant of the country.
In his victory speech on Friday morning, Starmer warned that change would not happen overnight. The future Labour government faces "hard work." "It's not enough to just press a button to change a country," Starmer emphasized.
For the 61-year-old, who started his political career only nine years ago and previously worked as a human rights lawyer and prosecutor, it is a remarkable rise. Sunak, who had taken office only 20 months earlier, is the first serving British prime minister to be defeated in a parliamentary election.
Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) expressed joy over the Labour Party's election victory. Regarding the new British Prime Minister Starmer, Scholz said in Berlin that he would be "a very good, very successful Prime Minister," adding that he was "absolutely convinced" of this.
European Council President Charles Michel congratulated Starmer on his "historic" victory. "The European Union and the United Kingdom are important partners," Michel wrote in an online post. He looked forward to future cooperation.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also congratulated Starmer on his "convincing" election win and called Great Britain a "reliable ally through thick and thin."
The new British government faces significant domestic challenges. The British population is tired of the ailing public service sector, rising prices, and empty promises from politicians. The issues with the National Health Service (NHS), where patients often have to wait months for doctor appointments or surgeries, were also prominent in the campaign.
Beyond these numerous challenges, Starmer has set a goal of returning to political integrity after the last scandal-ridden years of Conservative governments.
- King Charles III appointed Keir Starmer as the new Prime Minister, having rejected Rishi Sunak's resignation earlier.
- Under Starmer, the Labor party secured a landslide victory in the Lower house election, winning 412 seats.
- This victory is significantly more than the 326 seats needed for an absolute majority in the House of Commons.
- Charles III entrusted Starmer with government formation, following his appointment as Prime Minister.
- The election result saw Labor coming close to its record result of 1997 under Tony Blair, when the party won 418 seats.
- Nigel Farage's Reform UK Party, which supports Brexit, managed to gain four seats in the election.
- Keir Starmer, the Labor leader, campaigned for a return to seriousness in British politics and promised long-term economic growth.
- Lord Rees-Mogg, the leader of the pro-Brexit Reform UK Party, congratulated Starmer on his election victory, noting that they shared many policy ideas.
- The new British government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Keir Starmer, faces significant domestic challenges, including improving the ailing public service sector, addressing rising prices, and improving the National Health Service.
