The Labour Party in the UK, led by Keir Starmer, secured a historic victory in the UK elections, decimating the Rishi Sunak-led Conservative Party and ousting the British-Indian prime minister from his post after a little over a year.
The Conservative Party, which had secured 365 seats in the last UK elections, saw its tally dwindle to a mere 121, while Labour waltzed to victory, claiming over 400 seats.
Here we take a look at the numbers:
Taking the blame squarely on himself, Sunak conceded defeat halfway into the counting process, saying, "I would like to say first and foremost, I am sorry. I have given this job my all, but you have sent a clear signal that the government of the United Kingdom must change."
“Yours is the only judgment that matters. I have heard your anger, your disappointment, and I take responsibility for this loss. Following this result, I will step down as party leader, not immediately, but once the formal arrangements for selecting my successor are in place,” he added.
Meanwhile, new PM Starmer, who faces many challenges ahead, said, "A mandate like this comes with a great responsibility. Our task is nothing less than renewing the ideas that hold this country together. National renewal. Whoever you are, wherever you start in life, if you work hard, if you play by the rules, this country should give you a fair chance to get on. It should always respect your contribution and we have to restore that.”
The election to choose representatives for UK's 650 parliamentary constituencies took place on July 4.
(With Reuters inputs)
Published 05 July 2024, 13:02 IST