The UK election

What has transpired and what's next?

The Labour Party has secured a landslide victory in the UK general election, ending 14 years of Conservative rule. Sir Keir Starmer is set to be appointed prime minister, concluding a tumultuous era with five different Conservative leaders. Outgoing PM Rishi Sunak conceded defeat outside a rainy 10 Downing Street, taking responsibility for the result and announcing plans to resign as party leader.

In a passionate victory speech, Starmer promised "national renewal" and emphasized putting "country first, party second." This marks a dramatic turnaround from Labour's worst electoral defeat in 2019 under Jeremy Corbyn.

Conservative minister Robert Buckland called the result "electoral Armageddon" for the Tories, with the party facing its worst outcome in nearly 200 years. Labour has won 412 seats, while the Conservatives have slumped to 121. The Liberal Democrats have taken 71 seats, and Reform UK and the Green Party have each picked up four seats. Labour's surge was partly due to the collapse of the Scottish National Party (SNP), which fell to just nine seats.

Key figures such as Liz Truss, Jacob Rees-Mogg, Grant Shapps, and Penny Mordaunt lost their seats. However, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt held on to his seat with a reduced majority, and Sunak won his seat in Yorkshire with a comfortable majority.

Labour also saw the defeat of prominent members Jonathan Ashworth and Thangam Debbonaire, who were expected to be part of Starmer's incoming cabinet.

The transition of power will happen swiftly, with Sunak set to resign to the King and Starmer formally invited to form the next government. Starmer will then appoint top Labour MPs to his new cabinet.

Sunak wished his successor well, stating, "His successes will be all our successes, and I wish him and his family well."

Sir Keir Starmer, relatively new to politics, began his career as a barrister and was appointed director of public prosecutions in 2008. Elected in 2015, he became Labour leader after the 2019 election, promising a "new era." Re-elected in Holborn and St Pancras, he declared people were "ready for change."

Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, won four seats, including Farage’s first seat after eight attempts. The party's share of the vote was about 14%. Farage will be joined in Parliament by former Conservative deputy chairman Lee Anderson, Reform founder Richard Tice, and Rupert Lowe.