The United Kingdom’s opposition Labour Party has won a decisive victory in the general election, unseating the incumbent Conservatives after 14 years. Early on Friday morning, Labour passed the threshold needed to govern alone, prompting outgoing Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to concede defeat.
Keir Starmer, leader of the center-left Labour Party, is set to become the country’s next prime minister. In the early hours July 5th, Starmer declared victory and addressed his Labour colleagues with a message of triumph and optimism. “We did it,” he proclaimed. “You campaigned for it, you fought for it — and now it has arrived … change begins now.”
Projections indicate that Labour may secure its second-largest majority in history, following the 179-seat majority achieved by former Prime Minister Tony Blair in 1997.
On Thursday, millions of voters across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland cast their ballots for local representatives in the 650-member House of Commons, the U.K.’s lower house of parliament. While ballots are still being counted, constituencies are progressively announcing their winning candidates as votes are tallied.
This sweeping victory marks a significant shift in U.K. politics, bringing an end to over a decade of Conservative governance. Labour’s robust majority is expected to pave the way for substantial policy changes and a new direction for the country under Starmer’s leadership.
