Labor's election victory - New British Prime Minister Starmer sets course for new start
Britain has for the first time in over a decade had a social democratic prime minister. Keir Starmer (61), whose Labour Party won the general election decisively, campaigned for a fresh start. "Our work is urgent and we begin today," he said at his first appearance in London's Downing Street. However, he also acknowledged that this would not be achieved quickly and expressed understanding for political disillusionment in the country.
Changing a country is not comparable to flipping a switch. "This will take some time," Starmer said after being commissioned by King Charles III for government formation. With his party, he is replacing the Conservatives, who have been in power since 2010 under the previous prime minister Rishi Sunak. The Conservatives are left with a pile of ruins.
Starmer is the first Labour prime minister since Gordon Brown, who stepped down in 2010. According to the count, Labour secured at least 412 of the 650 seats in the House of Commons. In the 2019 election, the party had won 202 seats. The Conservatives went from 365 to approximately 120 seats. As many cabinet members were rejected as never before.
One of Starmer's first decisions is historically significant: Rachael Reeves is the first woman in British history to lead the Treasury. Labour deputy Angela Rayner is the new Deputy Prime Minister and is responsible for housing and "Levelling Up." This is understood to mean the equalization of living conditions throughout the country. The Foreign Office is being taken over by David Lammy, Yvette Cooper is the new Home Secretary, and John Healey is the Defence Minister.
An electoral analyst explains the shift
Labour's election victory is largely due to the waning support for the conservative Tories. The Social Democrats received only 34% of the voter's votes. Despite this, it was enough to secure a substantial majority of seats in the House of Commons due to the British first-past-the-post electoral system, where only the candidate with the most votes in each constituency enters parliament.
Sunak was the third prime minister of his party during the recent legislative period, which was marked by economic stagnation, numerous scandals, and significantly rising living costs. He took over from Liz Truss in October 2022, who had resigned after only 49 days in office and who also lost her seat in the House of Commons.
The Conservatives face a pile of ruins
For Sunak's Conservatives, the election was a nightmare. "Landslide" and "massacre" are some headlines in the British press. Sunak announced his resignation as party leader. He promised to step down as soon as the formal regulations for succession were clarified, he said. "I would first like to tell the country: I'm sorry."
Among the Conservatives, the question arises who will lead the party and the opposition in the London parliament. Penny Mordaunt, who was also known for carrying a sword at Charles' coronation, was considered a candidate. However, she failed to enter parliament.
Interest is being shown in the former Trade Minister Kemi Badenoch and the former Home Secretary Suella Braverman, who both stand further to the right. James Cleverly, the current Interior Minister, and Tom Tugendhat, the former State Secretary, are mentioned as more moderate potential candidates. Cleverly evaded a question from Sky News about whether he would run.
Right-wing populist Farage makes a challenge
Many Britons have had enough of the problems.
On the new premiership, Starmer faces numerous challenges - for instance, the overload of the state health service NHS, issues in housing policy, or the question of how the country intends to handle immigration. Starmer might have to abandon the plan of the previous government to deport irregular migrants to Rwanda, regardless of their origin. A return of his country to the EU he has ruled out.
The apathy towards the supposedly boring politician Starmer does not evoke great excitement among the Brits. In many political areas, he remained vague. The leadership took over the Labour Party from Jeremy Corbyn, who was accused of not doing enough against antisemitism in his party. Starmer distanced himself from this and led the party back to the political center. However, the war in Gaza continues to cause tensions within his party, which traditionally has close ties to the Palestinians.
During the election campaign, Starmer emphasized his middle-class background - his father was a toolmaker and his mother a nurse. Due to his mother's serious illness, Starmer took on responsibility in the family at an early age, as his biographer Tom Baldwin writes. Starmer is a fan of the London football club Arsenal and still wants to play football himself occasionally. On Friday evenings, he intends to keep himself available as much as possible for his wife Victoria and his two teenage children.
Starmer's Labor Party, with its election victory, secured a majority of seats in the British Parliament, surpassing the Conservatives who had been in power since 2010 under Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The shift in power was significant, with the Conservatives going from 365 seats in 2019 to approximately 120 seats in this election.
The new Labor Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, appointed Rachel Reeves as the first woman to lead the Treasury in British history. His deputy, Angela Rayner, is responsible for housing and "Levelling Up," a policy aimed at equalizing living conditions throughout Great Britain.
Rishi Sunak, the outgoing Conservative Prime Minister, announced his resignation after the party's dismal election performance. The press labeled it a "landslide" or "massacre," with headlines reflecting the party's downfall.
In the aftermath of the election, the Conservatives are searching for a new leader and opposition figurehead in Parliament. Potential candidates include Kemi Badenoch, Suella Braverman, James Cleverly, and Tom Tugendhat.
The election victory is largely attributed to the waning support for the Conservative Party, resulting in Labor securing seats despite only receiving 34% of the votes due to Britain's first-past-the-post electoral system.
Starmer's tenure as Prime Minister is not without challenges. He must tackle pressing issues such as the overload of the NHS, housing policy, and immigration. He may also need to reconsider plans to deport irregular migrants, as issues from the previous government remain contentious.
The public's apathy towards Starmer, who is often perceived as a "boring politician," may limit his political clout. His leadership of the Labor Party marks a departure from Jeremy Corbyn, who faced criticism for not handling antisemitism within the party effectively.
Despite these challenges, Starmer maintains a strong connection to his working-class roots. His mother was a nurse, and he took on a significant role in the family due to her illness. He is a fan of the London football club Arsenal and values his family time, continuing to be available to his wife and children on Friday evenings.
As the new Prime Minister, Starmer faces several obstacles in leading the country, but his determination and personal history suggest he is up for the challenge.
