British general election - "Massacre" for Premier Sunak - Labor leader Starmer on course
With shining eyes, Labour leader Keir Starmer celebrates his victory in the British parliamentary election. The 61-year-old and his party are hailing an unprecedented triumph. Across the country, the Social Democrats have seized numerous constituencies from the Conservatives of heavily defeated Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who now faces a leadership crisis. On Friday, King Charles III. officially commissioned Starmer to form the government.
According to the latest BBC poll, the Conservative Party of Prime Minister Sunak recorded the worst result in its history in the election. For the Prime Minister, it's more than just a defeat; it's a humiliation. His party now stands before a complete reorganization.
"The Labour Party has won this parliamentary election, and I have called Sir Keir Starmer to congratulate him on his victory," Sunak said, visibly dejected. He hinted at his resignation from the party leadership.
The youngest BBC forecast shows Labour with 405 seats in the House of Commons, slightly less than initially anticipated. In the previous election in 2019, the party had only won 202 seats. The Conservatives, therefore, suffered a significant loss, going from 365 to 154 seats. Labour's majority would, thus, be twice as large as the Conservatives' previous one.
Many votes went to the right-wing Reform UK party. Its leader Nigel Farage, who had significantly driven the Brexit process forward, managed to get into the House of Commons for the first time in the eighth attempt.
The vote count continued in the morning, but the most important result of the election is no longer in doubt: The 14-year reign of the conservative Tories is coming to an end. Potential successors to Sunak at the party leadership include Economic Minister Kemi Badenoch and former Home Secretary Suella Braverman, both of whom belong to the right-wing faction of the party.
Starmer promises change
In his first reaction, the designated Prime Minister Starmer promised changes in the country. "The people have spoken, they are ready for change. They have voted, and it's time for us to deliver," he said.
The Labour leader won his London constituency of Holborn and St Pancras decisively. However, he lost around 17 percentage points compared to the previous election in 2019. This was mainly due to the strong support for an independent candidate who had clearly spoken out against Israeli actions in the Gaza Strip. Labour heavyweight Jonathan Ashworth even lost his seat to a pro-Palestinian candidate and has little chance of a cabinet post.
For Sunak's Conservatives, the election was a nightmare. "Landslide" and "massacre" are some headlines in the British press after the disaster was announced. Several cabinet members lost their seats, including Defense Minister Grant Shapps, Education Minister Gillian Keegan, and Penny Mordaunt - the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs was previously considered a favorite for Sunak's succession.
"It's clear to me that Labour did not win this election tonight, but that the Tories lost it," Shapps said. "We have forgotten a fundamental rule of politics. The people do not vote for divided parties." Commentators now expect a full-blown "civil war" within the Tories.
The Scottish National Party also suffered a defeat.
Conservatives have likely lost more than just to Labour. The Liberal Democrats seem to be making significant gains at their expense, according to the latest BBC forecast, which puts them at 56 seats - up from only 11 previously. Their party is on course for its best result in a century, Ed Davey, Libdem leader, is reportedly elated.
The Scottish National Party (SNP) is expected to suffer a devastating defeat, according to the forecast, which shows a drop from 48 to 6 seats. This is a "very weak" result, admits Scottish First Minister John Swinney.
The right-wing populists around Farage, however, feel like the winners, even though they are only expected to receive a few seats. In the British first-past-the-post electoral system, the candidate with the most votes wins the constituency - all other votes have no effect. Farage's surprising candidacy may have significantly contributed to the Conservatives' poor result, as he alienated Tory voters on the far right.
Less enthusiasm for Labour than disdain for the Tories
The Conservatives' debacle is not surprising, according to pollsters, who had long predicted Labour's clear victory. Sunak could barely catch up in the campaign. His party had to deal with scandals and controversies, including illegal betting on the alleged election date.
According to renowned pollster John Curtice of the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, the clear outcome of the election is not primarily due to enthusiasm for Labour, but rather disdain for the previous ruling party. Sunak was already the third Conservative Party leader during the previous legislative period, which was marked by economic stagnation and rising living costs.
Starmer led his Labour Party back into the political centre in recent years, after it had moved significantly to the left under his predecessor Jeremy Corbyn - who managed to secure re-election as an independent. Starmer also took a firm stance against anti-Semitic tendencies within his own ranks.
In terms of political content, Starmer remained rather vague on many issues throughout his tenure as opposition leader. He was hesitant in detailing his plans for possible rapprochement with the European Union. He seemed more concerned with not providing any attack surfaces and not scaring potential voters. Some commentators compare his cautious approach to carrying a porcelain vase from the Chinese Ming Dynasty.
- Keir Starmer, the victorious Labour leader in the British parliamentary election, will officially form the government after being commissioned by King Charles III.
- Despite the Conservative Party's worst result in its history, as indicated by the BBC poll, Nigel Farage managed to secure a seat in the House of Commons for the first time, thanks to votes going to his right-wing Reform UK party.
- Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, facing a leadership crisis, hinted at his resignation after conceding defeat to Starmer, stating, "The Labour Party has won this parliamentary election," during his concession speech.
- The vote count revealed a significant loss for the Conservatives, with their number of seats dropping from 365 to 154, while Labour increased its majority, with 405 seats in the House of Commons.
- In the government formation, potential successors to Sunak as party leader include Kemi Badenoch and Suella Braverman from the right-wing faction of the Conservative Party.
- The BBC forecasts suggest that the Liberal Democrats, under the leadership of Ed Davey, are making significant gains, with up to 56 seats, marking their best result in a century.
- Speaking on the election outcomes, Grant Shapps of the Conservatives admitted, "Labour did not win this election tonight, but the Tories lost it," highlighting the internal disunity within the ruling party.
- The Scottish National Party, expected to suffer a major defeat, is set to lose seats, falling from 48 to 6, according to BBC forecasts, a "very weak" result, as admitted by Scottish First Minister John Swinney.
