Keir Starmer has vowed to bring change to Britain as its next Prime Minister after his Labour Party surged to a comprehensive win in a parliamentary election.
Starmer’s victory on Friday, July 5, 2024, ended 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.
Starmer said in a victory speech: “Change begins now. 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,” he added.
Despite his convincing victory, polls have suggested there is little enthusiasm for Starmer or his party, and he comes to power at a time when the country is facing a series of daunting challenges.
Sunak, Starmer clash in UK election TV debate
Britain’s tax burden is set to hit its highest since just after World War Two, net debt is almost equivalent to annual economic output, living standards have fallen, and public services are creaking, especially the much cherished National Health Service which has been dogged by strikes.
He has already had to scale back some of Labour’s more ambitious plans, such as its flagship green spending pledges, while he has promised not to raise taxes for “working people”.
Starmer said: “I don’t promise you it will be easy.
“Changing a country is not like flicking a switch. It’s hard work. Patient, determined, work, and we will have to get moving immediately.”
Much of the heavy damage to the Conservative support was inflicted by the right-wing populist Reform UK party, headed by Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage, who had campaigned strongly on curbing immigration, Reuters reports.
Starmer has promised to scrap the Conservative’s controversial policy of sending asylum seekers to Rwanda, but with migration a key electoral issue, he will be under pressure himself to find a solution to stopping tens of thousands of people arriving across the Channel from France on small boats.
Within the Conservative Party, the recriminations and debate over its future direction began immediately, with some saying its failure stemmed from abandoning the centre ground while others argued Reform had won over voters who felt the party had deserted its roots.
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