The Labour Party has won the United Kingdom’s general election by a landslide, making Keir Starmer the new prime minister.
The left-leaning party has secured 412 seats out of 650 in the House of Commons so far, while the Conservative Party, which held power for 14 years, has captured just 121.
The Liberal Democrats came in third place after gaining 63 seats, to make a total of 71.
The vote closed at 10pm on 5 July and early on 6 July the new government was announced. One more constituency has yet to reveal its vote count.
Labour has previously said it will protect British overseas territories such as Montserrat and defend their sovereignty and right to self-determination.
Reset and rediscovery
In his first speech as the UK’s new prime minister, Labour Party leader Keir Starmer said the UK needs a “bigger reset” and “a rediscovery of who we are”.
“Because no matter how fierce the storms of history, one of the great strengths of this nation has always been our ability to navigate a way through to calmer waters.”
Speaking on the steps of 10 Downing Street, he said Britain will be rebuilt with wealth created in every community.
“Our NHS back on its feet, facing the future, secure borders, safer streets, everyone treated with dignity and respect at work, the opportunity of clean British power, cutting your energy bills for good.
“We will rebuild the infrastructure of opportunity, the world class schools and colleges, the affordable homes that I know are the ingredients of hope for working people,” he said.
He spoke of the UK’s four nations of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland “standing together again, facing down, as we have so often in our past, the challenges of an insecure world”.
Country first
When giving his speech, Starmer had just returned from Buckingham Palace where he had accepted King Charles III’s invitation to form a new government.
“My government will serve you. Politics can be a force for good – we will show that – and that is how we will govern. Country first, party second,” he said.
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The prime minister said that from now on the people have a government unburdened by doctrine and guided only by a determination to serve their interests.
“You have given us a clear mandate and we will use it to deliver change, to restore service and respect to politics, end the era of noisy performance, tread more lightly on your lives and unite our country,” he said.
Starmer paid tribute to former Tory prime minister Rishi Sunak for “his achievement as the first British Asian prime minister of our country”.
“The extra effort… should not be underestimated by anyone. We pay tribute to that today,” he said, “and we also recognise the dedication and hard work he brought to his leadership.”
