After the elections

Keir Starmer becomes Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, his government team announced

The Labour Party wins elections in Great Britain, bringing Keir Starmer to power as prime minister and announcing his government team

by Nicol Degli Innocenti

4 July 2024aggiornato il 5 luglio 2024, alle ore 17.30

Il primo ministro britannico Keir Starmer con la moglie Victoria

3' min read

3' min read

LONDON - Chronicle of a victory foretold: the Labour Party won the elections held in Britain yesterday with an overwhelming majority. "We did it and change starts today," declared leader Keir Starmer , who promised a new political era "of hope".

At last count, Labour won 412 seats in Parliament, doubling its presence in Westminster. They only need 326 seats to have a majority. The Conservative party, in power for 14 years, lost 250 and suffered the worst defeat in its history.

Starmer, who was given the task of forming a new government by King Charles III this morning, officially became the new prime minister. In his first speech in front of the famous door of Number 10 Downing Street, Starmer promised a new era for Britain, 'a national renewal and a politics once again at the service of the people'.

The Labour leader admitted that regaining the trust of the people and rebuilding the country will be a long and arduous task, but promised to 'work for everyone, especially those who did not vote for us, and to show respect for everyone'. His government, he said, will be under the banner of 'moderation and stability'.

The government team

To show his determination to 'roll up his sleeves', Starmer immediately presented his government team, with no surprises compared to the shadow cabinet of the last years of opposition. Rachel Reeves becomes the first woman Chancellor of the Exchequer, in charge of Finance; Angela Rayner has been confirmed as deputy prime minister as well as Minister of Housing and Communities; David Lammy is Foreign Minister, veteran Yvette Cooper becomes Home Secretary, young upstart Wes Streeting will be in charge of Health and former party leader Ed Miliband is Energy Minister and will be in charge of the transition to a 'green' economy.

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In his last address to the nation, the outgoing premier Rishi Sunak addressed voters, declaring 'I am sorry. I understand your anger and disappointment, and I take full responsibility for the defeat. Your judgement is the only one that matters'.

Sunak said he will not remain party leader and will resign as soon as his successor is elected. "The party must have new leadership to be an effective opposition," he explained.

The Tories' debacle

What hurt the Tories was not only the rise of Labour but also the success of the smaller parties: the Liberal Democrats more than quintupled their number of seats, gaining 71, while Reform, the reincarnation of the Brexit Party, made inroads with the right-wing electorate. Nigel Farage at his eighth attempt managed to become MP in Westminster, along with party chairman Richard Tice and two other candidates. In many parts of the country Reform came second, taking votes away from the Tories. In Wales the Conservatives do not even have an MP.

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The Conservative Party emerges not only humiliated from this election, but also transformed: many party bigwigs have lost their seats in Westminster. For example, Commons leader Penny Mordaunt, considered a rising star, Defence Minister Grant Shapps and former premier Liz Truss.

Sunak, premier for just over a year and a half, hoped to convince voters to 'look to the future', but what weighed heavily was the past. In the last 14 years in power, the Conservatives have imposed austerity that has decimated public services, they have had to manage the economic crisis that led to the worst fall in living standards for citizens since World War II, and they have raised taxes to the highest level since 1948.

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The scandal tornado

What hurt the Tories more than anything, however, were scandals such as Partygate, internal party divisions and feuds, and the political chaos that led to a whirlwind of ministers and five premiers in a few years - three of them within a few months.

'Rather than a Labour victory this looks like a Conservative defeat,' commented John Curtice, professor of politics at the University of Strathclyde and leading polling expert.

Already at work

Starmer returned Labour to power for the first time since 2010 with a decisive victory, but failed to beat the 418 seats his predecessor Tony Blair had won in 1997.

The British system is brutal in its rapidity: as soon as the counting of votes was completed Sunak went to Buckingham Palace to tender his resignation to King Charles III , while the removal truck was already arriving at Downing Street. The outgoing premier will have to leave not only his post but also his office and residence today to make way for the winner.