Keir Starmer: Labour chief to grow to be UK prime minister

Sir Keir Starmer is ready to grow to be the UK’s first Labour prime minister since 2010 after his celebration’s landslide normal election victory.

Labour is returning to energy with an enormous parliamentary majority of 174, following a collapse in help for the Conservatives.

Sir Keir will likely be formally appointed by the King at Buckingham Palace later, changing Tory chief Rishi Sunak, and make his first speech in Downing Avenue.

Talking outdoors No 10, Mr Sunak vowed to stay his celebration’s chief till formal preparations for choosing his successor are in place.

In a brief speech, he apologised to unsuccessful Tory candidates and advised the general public: “I’ve heard your anger, your disappointment.”

Sir Keir is predicted to start appointing his new cupboard on Friday afternoon, earlier than it meets for the primary time on Saturday.

Labour’s victory has come largely in consequence in a dramatic 20 level drop in Tory help, with the celebration down 250 seats to 121, a historic low.

It marks a dramatic turnaround in fortunes for Sir Keir’s celebration, which suffered its worst end result when it comes to seats – 202 – on the final election in 2019 underneath Sir Keir’s predecessor Jeremy Corbyn.

Regardless of solely growing its share of the nationwide vote by round 2%, the celebration has received 412 seats with simply two seats but to declare, delivering a end result simply wanting the historic 179 majority received by Tony Blair in 1997.

Its vote share improve got here fully because of a 17 level improve in help in Scotland, the place it regained its standing as the most important celebration because the SNP slumped from 48 to only 9 seats.

On a great night time for smaller events, the Liberal Democrats received 71 seats, the celebration’s greatest end in a century, while Nigel Farage will grow to be one of four MPs for Reform UK, following a breakthrough night time for the fledgling celebration.

Sir Keir fought a cautious marketing campaign during which Labour made only a few new coverage pledges, however managed to largely retain the big polling lead over the Tories it started with when outgoing Tory PM Rishi Sunak known as the election in Might.

This polling lead had remained regular because the disastrous premiership of Liz Truss, who lost her previously safe seat of South West Norfolk.

Regardless of its resounding general victory, Labour misplaced quite a few former strongholds to impartial candidates campaigning on pro-Gaza platforms.

In one of many greatest shocks of the night time, shadow minister Jonathan Ashworth misplaced his Leicester South seat, which had a majority of greater than 22,000.

And shadow well being secretary Wes Streeting – certainly one of Labour’s most high-profile figures throughout the marketing campaign – noticed his majority in Ilford North slashed from greater than 9,000 to only 528.

Labour fought its marketing campaign on a manifesto centred round boosting the UK’s sluggish charge of financial development in recent times.

It pledged to do that largely by modifications to the planning system, and by making the nation extra enticing to inward funding.

However towards a troublesome financial backdrop, celebration figures have admitted they face a problem amid challenges to the general public funds.

The celebration has additionally promised to overtake UK employment regulation, renationalise almost all passenger rail and arrange a state-owned power funding and technology firm, together with boosting inexperienced funding.