SIR Keir Starmer became Prime Minister today after a landslide victory which saw a dozen Cabinet ministers toppled in a nightmare rout for the Tories.
The Labour leader was expected to have met the King around lunchtime before being driven back to Downing Street to lay out the core beliefs on how his party will govern.
He was taking office after Labour won 412 seats, up 211, the Tories slumped by 250 to 121 to their lowest ever result, the Liberal Democrats soared to a record high 71 seats, gaining 63, and the Scottish National Party imploded in Scotland, losing 38 seats to end on just nine, with two constituencies still to declare.
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK won four seats, including Mr Farage’s own in Clacton at his eighth attempt to get into Parliament, with the Greens and Plaid Cymru also both getting four seats each.
The speed and brutality of the British electoral system, which saw Labour gain a majority of some 176, was on full show as scores of parliamentary candidates were left dazed by shock losses as Mr Farage’s Reform UK inflicted heavy damage on the Tories. Former premier Liz Truss was out of Parliament, as were Defence Secretary Grant Shapps, former Brexit minister Sir Jacob ReesMogg and Penny Mordaunt, who served as Commons Leader.
Jeremy Hunt left 11 Downing Street for the f inal t ime as Chancellor mid-morning, having narrowly clung onto his Surrey seat.
Mr Sunak, who announced the election in the rain, made his final speech in Downing Street, ending 14 years of Conservative rule, on another wet day.
He told the nation “I have heard your anger” and confirmed that he would step down as Conservative leader — “not immediately, but once the formal arrangements for selecting my successor are in place”.
Bu hikaye Evening Standard dergisinin July 05, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Evening Standard dergisinin July 05, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
New faces at Commons have to wait for desks
NEW MPs face having to “hot desk” in Parliament as authorities rush to find them offices.
'LISTEN UP...WE CAN WIN IN ANY WAY'
SAKA DRAWS CONFIDENCE FROM ABILITY TO CLOSE OUT TIGHT GAMES
Southgate must be brave again if captain Kane is failing to click
IT MUST have been a little unnerving for Harry Kane, watching from the sidelines as the final seconds of extratime ebbed away and penalties loomed ever closer.
Emotional Hamilton ends 945-day wait for a win he thought would never come
LEWIS HAMILTON feared he would never win in Formula One again after his struggles since the end of his thrilling duel with Max Verstappen for the 2021 championship.
Ocado boost as deal with Japanese supermarket chain is extended
THE advance of Ocado robots in one of the world’s most automated economies today gave a much-needed boost to the former FTSE 100 company.
£4bn Carlsberg deal takes Britvic off London exchange
SOFT drinks maker Britvic is leaving the London Stock Exchange after backing a bid from Danish brewer Carlsberg that values it at over £4 billion including debt.
UK biotech secures £90m in fundraising
A LONDON drugmaker spun out of Imperial College and the Crick Institute today secured one of Europe’s largest ever early stage fundraising for a biotech, with £90 million backing for its pioneering cancer treatment.
Apple's UK firms pay £280m in divis to parent company
TECH giant Apple’s two main UK based companies paid a total of almost £280 million in dividends to its Californian parent last year as profit rose, latest accounts show today.
Andy Murray got brickbats for being honest - and Scottish-but I'll miss him
AS the sibling of a professional tennis player, much of my childhood was spent mooching around various tennis courts killing time, in particular the National Tennis Centre in south-west London.
Father-of-two stabbed to death in weekend of London violence
THE family of a father-of-two stabbed to death on the streets of London today said “the world is less bright” as detectives appealed for help to track down his killer.