LONDON: Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer was sworn in as Britain’s new prime minister on Friday, promising to “renew the nation” after leading his party to a landslide victory in the general election, winning more than 400 of 650 seats and returning the party to power after 14 years in opposition. “Our work is urgent and it starts today,” Starmer said. Labour won 412 votes and had two seats confirmed at the time of writing.
Outgoing British Indian Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (44), who led Britain’s oldest political party, the Conservative Party, to its worst election defeat in its almost 200-year history, losing 250 seats (gaining 121), made a resignation speech outside Downing Street and apologised to the public. Sunak said he had done his job to the best of his ability, but the public had sent a clear signal that a change of government was needed. His wife, Akshata Murthy, stood behind him in a blue-and-white striped dress and looked on the verge of tears. Sunak will go down in history as the British Prime Minister who performed the least at the ballot box.
“I have heard your anger and disappointment and I take responsibility for this defeat,” the prime minister said, before shaking Murthy’s hand and walking to a car to Buckingham Palace where he would formally offer his resignation to the head of state, King Charles, after his gamble on an early election had spectacularly failed.
Starmer (61), who in his younger years had campaigned for the abolition of the monarchy, went to Buckingham Palace just after noon to meet the King, accompanied by Lady Victoria in a red dress, and was formally asked to form a Labour government and appointed Prime Minister. It will be the first time in more than 60 years that someone with a royal title has been appointed Prime Minister.
Starmer arrived at Downing Street to cheers and Union Jack-waving supporters and delivered his first speech as prime minister. He began by praising Sunak, the first Asian-British prime minister, for his dedication and hard work. But he said “our country has voted decisively for change and for a return to public service in politics.” He said his government would “restore respect for the public service and politics.” He said the previous government had for too long turned a blind eye to the uncertainty facing millions.
“We will govern the country first and the party second,” he said, promising to bring wealth to every community, rebuild the NHS and secure borders.
Mr Starmer’s first overseas trip will be to Washington on Tuesday for the NATO summit. As well as his wife and two children, another of his rescue cats, JoJo, is due to visit Downing Street, in what is expected to be a turf war with No. 10 cat Larry.
White vans had already appeared outside Downing Street on Friday morning to allow Mr Sunak to leave.
A string of high-profile Conservative figures lost their seats that night, including former Prime Minister Liz Truss and a record eight cabinet ministers, including Defence Secretary Grant Shapps, Justice Secretary Alex Chalk and Leader of the House of Commons Penny Mordaunt.
The other party that suffered the biggest defeat was the pro-Scottish independence SNP, which lost 38 seats at Westminster, leaving it with just nine.
The election also saw big wins for the Liberal Democrats, Reform UK and independents, with the Liberal Democrats winning 71 seats, as well as three seats held by former Conservative prime ministers Theresa May, David Cameron and Boris Johnson.
Reform UK, a new party set up by Nigel Farage, a pro-Brexit, anti-immigration campaigner, won four seats and came second to Labour in many seats. It has been widely blamed for splitting the Conservative vote and causing the Conservatives to lose the same number of seats. Farage himself is in the House of Commons for the first time in his eighth attempt.
The Green Party won four seats. Five independents also won seats. Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn won in Islington North with a majority of 7,247 votes against Labour. Praful Nargund, of Indian origin, ran against Corbyn for Labour but was defeated by 16,873 votes. Labour frontbencher Jonathan Ashworth was surprisingly defeated in Leicester South by local independent Shoukat Adam, 51. Like many in the city, Adam is of Indian descent and has lived in Leicester since the age of three, when his family emigrated to Britain from Malawi.
In Blackburn, independent Adnan Hussain overturned Labour’s 18,000-vote majority, winning by just 132 votes. In Birmingham Perry Barr, city councillor Ayub Khan won, defeating Labour’s longest-serving British-Pakistani MP Khalid Mahmood, who has served since 2001.
Independent candidate Iqbal Mohammed, whose parents emigrated to Britain from India in the 1960s, won Dewsbury and Batley for Labour. All five independent candidates are backed by a group called the Muslim Boat, which is campaigning for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
George Galloway’s British Labour Party failed to secure a single seat, even losing his own Rochdale seat.
Outgoing British Indian Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (44), who led Britain’s oldest political party, the Conservative Party, to its worst election defeat in its almost 200-year history, losing 250 seats (gaining 121), made a resignation speech outside Downing Street and apologised to the public. Sunak said he had done his job to the best of his ability, but the public had sent a clear signal that a change of government was needed. His wife, Akshata Murthy, stood behind him in a blue-and-white striped dress and looked on the verge of tears. Sunak will go down in history as the British Prime Minister who performed the least at the ballot box.
“I have heard your anger and disappointment and I take responsibility for this defeat,” the prime minister said, before shaking Murthy’s hand and walking to a car to Buckingham Palace where he would formally offer his resignation to the head of state, King Charles, after his gamble on an early election had spectacularly failed.
Starmer (61), who in his younger years had campaigned for the abolition of the monarchy, went to Buckingham Palace just after noon to meet the King, accompanied by Lady Victoria in a red dress, and was formally asked to form a Labour government and appointed Prime Minister. It will be the first time in more than 60 years that someone with a royal title has been appointed Prime Minister.
Starmer arrived at Downing Street to cheers and Union Jack-waving supporters and delivered his first speech as prime minister. He began by praising Sunak, the first Asian-British prime minister, for his dedication and hard work. But he said “our country has voted decisively for change and for a return to public service in politics.” He said his government would “restore respect for the public service and politics.” He said the previous government had for too long turned a blind eye to the uncertainty facing millions.
“We will govern the country first and the party second,” he said, promising to bring wealth to every community, rebuild the NHS and secure borders.
Mr Starmer’s first overseas trip will be to Washington on Tuesday for the NATO summit. As well as his wife and two children, another of his rescue cats, JoJo, is due to visit Downing Street, in what is expected to be a turf war with No. 10 cat Larry.
White vans had already appeared outside Downing Street on Friday morning to allow Mr Sunak to leave.
A string of high-profile Conservative figures lost their seats that night, including former Prime Minister Liz Truss and a record eight cabinet ministers, including Defence Secretary Grant Shapps, Justice Secretary Alex Chalk and Leader of the House of Commons Penny Mordaunt.
The other party that suffered the biggest defeat was the pro-Scottish independence SNP, which lost 38 seats at Westminster, leaving it with just nine.
The election also saw big wins for the Liberal Democrats, Reform UK and independents, with the Liberal Democrats winning 71 seats, as well as three seats held by former Conservative prime ministers Theresa May, David Cameron and Boris Johnson.
Reform UK, a new party set up by Nigel Farage, a pro-Brexit, anti-immigration campaigner, won four seats and came second to Labour in many seats. It has been widely blamed for splitting the Conservative vote and causing the Conservatives to lose the same number of seats. Farage himself is in the House of Commons for the first time in his eighth attempt.
The Green Party won four seats. Five independents also won seats. Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn won in Islington North with a majority of 7,247 votes against Labour. Praful Nargund, of Indian origin, ran against Corbyn for Labour but was defeated by 16,873 votes. Labour frontbencher Jonathan Ashworth was surprisingly defeated in Leicester South by local independent Shoukat Adam, 51. Like many in the city, Adam is of Indian descent and has lived in Leicester since the age of three, when his family emigrated to Britain from Malawi.
In Blackburn, independent Adnan Hussain overturned Labour’s 18,000-vote majority, winning by just 132 votes. In Birmingham Perry Barr, city councillor Ayub Khan won, defeating Labour’s longest-serving British-Pakistani MP Khalid Mahmood, who has served since 2001.
Independent candidate Iqbal Mohammed, whose parents emigrated to Britain from India in the 1960s, won Dewsbury and Batley for Labour. All five independent candidates are backed by a group called the Muslim Boat, which is campaigning for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
George Galloway’s British Labour Party failed to secure a single seat, even losing his own Rochdale seat.
