UK elections: Rishi Sunak concedes defeat as Labour Party crosses majority

Britain's opposition Labour Party has won a 326-seat majority in the parliamentary election, set to put an end to the 14-year-long rule of the Conservative Party

UK’s incumbent Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Friday took responsibility for the defeat of the Conservative Party as poll results showed that Britain’s opposition Labour Party has won a 326-seat majority in the parliamentary election.

“The Labour Party has won this general election and I have called Sir Keir Starmer to congratulate him on his victory,” Sunak, who managed to retain his northern England seat, reacted.

UK election latest updates

1) The exit polls have predicted a landslide victory for the Labour Party, which is set to put an end to the 14-year-long rule of the Conservative Party. They predicted a strong 410 tally for the Labour Party in the 650-seat strong House of Commons.

 

2) “To everyone who has campaigned… to everyone who voted for us and put their trust in our changed Labour Party — thank you,” Starmer reacted to the development in a social media post.

Thank you, Holborn and St Pancras, for putting your trust in me again.

Change begins right here. pic.twitter.com/XZfi5OIoyH

— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) July 5, 2024

Why did Conservative Party lose the polls?

3) Conservatives’ defeat followed as the Sunak-led government faced an uphill battle as the UK grappled with financial woes. The 44-year-old Indian-origin PM, who took office in October 2022, failed to deliver, and the country slid into recession in the latter half of 2023.

4) The Conservative Party, in power since 2010, struggled with multiple challenges including the global financial crisis, Brexit repercussions, Covid-19’s economic impact, and soaring inflation, culminating in their electoral defeat.

5) Within the Conservative Party, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps and Justice Secretary Alex Chalk were among the first senior leaders in Sunak’s cabinet to lose their seats.

6) According to the exit polls, the incumbent Tories led by Sunak may fall to just 131 seats, which would mark their lowest seat tally ever.

7) The Liberal Democrats, and the Scottish National Party are among other parties contesting in the polls.

WATCH: UK Election Results: Keir Starmer triumphs over Rishi Sunak to become next PM