The British Labour Party, led by Keir Starmer, has secured a majority in the general elections, ending 14 years of Conservative rule.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has acknowledged the historic defeat, taking full responsibility and announcing his resignation with an apology.
Labour has won 411 out of the 650 seats in the House of Commons, a significant gain compared to the 119 seats secured by the Conservatives.
The Liberal Democrats have won 71 seats, while other parties have claimed 35 seats.
This dramatic shift marks a net gain of 210 seats for Labour, a loss of 249 seats for the Conservatives, and a gain of 63 seats for the Liberal Democrats.
The Scottish National Party (SNP) has seen a major setback, losing 38 seats and holding only 9 seats in this election.
According to Sky News, this election may represent the first time in history that the Conservatives have secured less than 30% of the vote share.
Labour’s triumph on Friday concludes 14 years of Conservative governance that began in 2010 with David Cameron’s victory.
Cameron resigned in 2016 following the Brexit vote, and was succeeded by Theresa May, then Boris Johnson in 2019, Liz Truss in 2022, and finally Rishi Sunak in October 2022.
The Conservatives’ defeat is stark, following their landslide victory in the 2019 elections under Boris Johnson.
In his victory speech, Starmer proclaimed that change starts now, emphasizing the beginning of a new era.
He acknowledged that the victory was achieved under a renewed and transformed Labour Party. Starmer cautioned that the path ahead would not be easy, but committed to remembering this pivotal night when challenges arise.
Starmer stressed the immense responsibility of the mandate given to Labour, stating that the country comes first, the party second.
He underscored the need to demonstrate that politics can be a force for good, aiming to restore politics to serve the public interest. Starmer concluded by urging immediate action to start the work of change.
Before Starmer’s speech, Sunak admitted defeat in a brief statement at a counting center after being re-elected to his seat.
He congratulated Starmer, stating that this is a tough night. The Labour Party has won this election.
The British electorate has spoken, and there is much to learn from this outcome. Sunak took full responsibility and apologized.
Despite the Conservative Party’s significant losses, Sunak managed to retain his seat, as did Chancellor Jeremy Hunt. However, about 10 government ministers, including Defence Secretary Grant Shapps and potential party leader Penny Mordaunt, lost their seats.
Sunak is expected to submit his resignation to King Charles III later on Friday, marking the end of his tenure and paving the way for a new era under Labour leadership.
