London (Reuters/Web Desk) — Labour Party’s Keir Starmer is poised to become the next Prime Minister of Britain this Friday, following a landslide victory in the parliamentary election, according to an exit poll.
Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives are projected to suffer historic losses, prompting Sunak to concede defeat in a brief speech where he accepted responsibility for the outcome as a “sobering verdict.”
“The British people have delivered a sobering verdict tonight… and I take responsibility for the loss,” Sunak acknowledged.
Starmer, celebrating his party’s anticipated capture of 410 out of 650 parliamentary seats, marked a remarkable reversal from Labour’s dismal performance five years ago. This victory would secure Labour a commanding majority of 170 seats and bring an end to the Conservative-led government’s 14-year tenure marked by turbulence.
“People here and across the country have spoken tonight, ready for change, to move beyond performative politics and return to public service,” Starmer remarked after securing his own seat in London.
However, Starmer faces significant challenges ahead, including an ailing economy, strained public services, and declining living standards, factors that contributed to the Conservatives’ electoral downfall.
Sunak’s party, forecasted to win only 131 seats, faced voter backlash over a cost-of-living crisis and internal divisions, culminating in what Defense Minister Grant Shapps described as a loss due to prolonged political infighting.
The election also saw gains for the centrist Liberal Democrats and the right-wing populist Reform UK party, led by Nigel Farage, which dealt significant blows to Sunak’s Conservatives.
Overall, the results indicate a clear shift towards an internationalist center-left government, contrasting with recent political trends in other European countries.
The outcome marks a stunning comeback for Labour under Starmer’s leadership, navigating through what was perceived as an existential crisis just a few years ago. Meanwhile, the Conservative Party grapples with internal turmoil and a leadership vacuum following multiple scandals.
“The electoral challenge for Labour was substantial, but Starmer has surpassed expectations,” commented Peter Sloman, a politics professor at the University of Cambridge.
