LONDON: United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, candidate for the Conservative Party in the country’s snap polls, on Friday conceded defeat and declared that the “Labour Party has won” the general election, CNN reported.
“The Labour Party has won this general election,” Sunak said, adding that he called up Keir Starmer to congratulate him on his victory. “The British people have delivered a sobering verdict tonight”, Sunak said from his constituency of Richmond and Northallerton in northern England which he won.
The outgoing British Prime Minister took 47.5 per cent of the vote in his constituency. Conceding the Labour Party’s win, Sunak apologised and said that he feels responsible for the loss.
“I take responsibility for the loss to the many good, hard-working, conservative candidates who lost tonight despite their tireless efforts, their local records of delivery and their dedication to their communities, I am sorry”, Sunak said. “Today, power will change hands in an orderly and peaceful manner, with goodwill on all sides”, he said.
🚨 WATCH: Rishi Sunak concedes defeat to Labour https://t.co/1pwakVEBtH pic.twitter.com/6eXzzQUTZY
— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) July 5, 2024
In late May this year, Sunak has called for a snap vote, which came as a surprise for many in his party. “I will now head down to London, where I will say more about tonight’s result before I leave the job of Prime Minister, to which I have given my all…” he said.
Since Boris Johnson easily won the most recent general election in 2019, Britain has had three prime ministers from the Conservative party. However, a large portion of the nation and his party lost interest in Johnson, and in 2022, members of the Conservative party chose Liz Truss to succeed him as prime minister, making her the shortest-serving Prime Minister in British history, CNN reported.
Then, Sunak was chosen by Conservative Members of Parliament (MPs) to succeed her. He was UK’s first Indian-origin Prime Minister.
It is pertinent to note that centre-Left Labour Party’s landslide win ends a 14-year reign of the Conservative Party and positions Labour leader Keir Starmer to assume the role of prime minister imminently.
Starmer, a former barrister who entered Parliament in 2015 and assumed Labour leadership in 2020, has steered his party towards the political center. His platform emphasizes revitalizing public services while maintaining fiscal responsibility.
Regarding foreign policy, particularly Britain’s stance towards Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, no significant shifts are expected with Starmer’s ascension. He has committed to maintaining Britain’s supportive stance towards Kyiv, according to CNN.
Additionally, Starmer has called for a ceasefire in Gaza amid Israel’s conflict with Hamas, coupled with efforts to secure the release of Israeli hostages held by the terrorist group. (ANI)