Labour leader Sir Kier Starmer will meet King Charles at Buckingham Palace on Friday to officially form a new government.
Sir Keir Starmer, leader of the Labour Party and future British Prime Minister” src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Am.QyjAef.lOy76jEuqThg–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MA–/https://media.zenfs.com/en/people_218/99d3bbd60d28184628a2f9404bbb2b27″ class=”caas-img”/>
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Sir Keir Starmer, leader of the Labour Party and future British Prime Minister
The United Kingdom has a new government and with it a new prime minister.
In a historic turn of events, the Labour Party won the keys to No. 10 Downing Street on Thursday 4 July with around 35% of the vote and an estimated majority of 170 seats in the House of Commons.
The ruling Conservative Party came second, but suffered its worst election defeat in history under outgoing Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Third place went to the Liberal Democrats under Sir Ed Davey.
Speaking on Friday morning, Starmer said the election had lifted a “heavy burden” from Britain. He said Labour workers should “savour this moment of victory” but added that their overwhelming mandate also “comes with great responsibility”.
“Walk into the morning, into the sunlight of hope, faint at first but growing stronger as the day goes on, shining once again on a country that, after 14 years, has a chance to get its future back,” Starmer added at the Tate Modern art museum in London.
Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer speaks to journalists on board his campaign bus on June 13, 2024″ src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/JSNLP0N8sUrI0ero.0MOHg–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MQ–/https://media.zenfs.com/en/people_218/07a85416d2686ebf928999538cc21e64″ class=”caas-img”/>
Stefan Rousseau/PA Images/Getty
Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer speaks to journalists on board his campaign bus on 13 June 2024
Related topics: King Charles opens shortened royal week in Scotland with old tradition ahead of key British elections
In response, Sunak said he took “responsibility” for the Conservative Party’s heavy defeat and described the night the results were announced as “difficult”.
“Today there will be a peaceful and orderly transfer of power, with goodwill on all sides,” he added. “The British people have passed a sobering verdict tonight. There is much to learn and reflect on.”
On Friday 5 July, Sunak will travel to Buckingham Palace to meet King Charles and officially resign as Prime Minister. Shortly afterwards, Starmer will also visit Charles and officially form a new British government.
The last Labour Party leader to win a British general election was Tony Blair in May 2005 – when George W. Bush was in the White House. Star Wars Episode III – Revenge of the Sith was the box office hit and Mariah Carey released “We Belong Together”.
Since the defeat of Blair’s successor Gordon Brown in May 2010, Britain has been governed by the Conservative Party under Prime Ministers David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Sunak.
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While the Conservatives have traditionally been seen as a safe bet, their reputation has been shaken by the revelation that several parties were brought into Downing Street at a time when Johnson had imposed strict Covid-19 lockdowns and social distancing rules on the British population.
In September 2022, Truss also inflicted severe economic damage on the British economy with a disastrous mini-budget that a senior member of her own party described as “incompetent madness”.
Related: Why Britain’s royal family may postpone outings as surprise general election announced
Rishi Sunak announces the British general election in the rain outside 10 Downing Street” src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/2loax6GFf7l9EU8fQWwIgg–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MQ–/https://media.zenfs.com/en/people_218/128ebb048f4d16bbd40110503fe37d51″ class=”caas-img”/>
Jose Sarmento Matos/Bloomberg via Getty
Rishi Sunak announces the British general election in the rain outside 10 Downing Street
While Sunak got the leadership back on track, his campaign was plagued by several problems from the start, including announcing the election in the pouring rain outside Downing Street and then making the mistake of leaving the 80th anniversary of D-Day celebrations in early May 2024 – missing a key photo opportunity with President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Just recently, members of Sunak’s inner circle were accused of abusing their insider knowledge to place illegal bets on the election date in the days before the election was announced.
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