UK Election 2024: Starmer celebrates landslide win, Sunak takes blame for loss

London: British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak conceded defeat on Friday as his Conservative Party faced one of its worst election defeats, with Keir Starmer's Labour Party hurtling towards a landslide victory. Official results showed Labour winning enough seats to secure a majority in the UK Parliament, with an estimated majority of around 160 seats in the House of Commons. By 5 am Friday, Labour had won 326 of the 650 seats as counting continued.

Despite Sunak comfortably holding onto his own Richmond and Northallerton seat with 23,059 votes, he failed to turn things around for his party on a national level after 14 years in government. A sombre-looking Sunak, joined by his wife Akshata Murty, used his acceptance speech to acknowledge his party’s defeat and congratulate Starmer on his victory. "The Labour Party has won this general election, and I have called Sir Keir Starmer to congratulate him on his victory," Sunak said, acknowledging the “sobering verdict” handed to his party. He emphasized the peaceful and orderly transfer of power as a testament to the country's stability and future.

Sunak took responsibility for the defeat, expressing his regret to voters: "I am sorry." The Conservative Party faced a significant loss, with prominent ministers and MPs such as Grant Shapps and Penny Mordaunt losing their seats. The results were dubbed a “bloodbath” for the Conservatives.

In contrast, Keir Starmer is set to take charge at 10 Downing Street as Britain’s new Prime Minister after winning his own seat of Holborn and St. Pancras in London comfortably. "The change begins right here. Because this is your democracy, your community, and your future. You have voted. It is now time for us to deliver," said Starmer in his acceptance speech, surrounded by celebrating supporters.

While initial exit polls forecasted 410 seats for Labour, the actual trends and results pegged it around 405 seats, with the Tories down to 154. The Liberal Democrats emerged as another significant winner, set to secure around 56 seats. Meanwhile, the Scottish National Party (SNP), which campaigned on an independence ticket, lost seats to Labour. A notable development was Nigel Farage finally being elected as an MP at his eighth attempt, leading his anti-immigration Reform UK party to secure three seats in the Commons. As Labour prepares to form the new government, they face significant challenges, including a sluggish economy, strained public services, and declining living standards—issues that contributed to the Conservative Party's loss.