This is the first time since 2010 that the centre-left Labour party has governed the country, in a development that turns the page on 14 years of Conservative rule that has witnessed in recent years a series of crises from Brexit to Covid, inflation and frequent changes in government leaders.
King Charles III formally appointed Keir Starmer to form the UK government on Friday, and as is customary, Buckingham Palace published a photo of the king welcoming the new prime minister.
He left Buckingham Palace and headed to 10 Downing Street, where he said “we will rebuild” the United Kingdom.
The most prominent figures in the government are expected to be announced later on Friday.
He referred to a process of “rebuilding the infrastructure of opportunity”, stressing education and affordable housing, and the principle of “service” in politics. He promised to work with the government to restore the British people’s faith in a better future for their children and to “unite our country”.
He had indicated when announcing his party’s victory at dawn that things “will not be easy” and will not change with “the push of a button.”
His predecessor, Rishi Sunak, 44, had submitted his resignation to the king.
In his final speech, Sunak apologized to the public, saying, “I have heard your anger and disappointment,” adding, “The British people have made a clear judgment tonight and I take responsibility” for this defeat.
Among Starmer’s first meetings will be the 75th anniversary NATO summit in Washington next week.
Starmer stressed that “change begins now”, thanking his supporters and renewing his promise of “national renewal”, stressing that change requires “hard, patient and determined work”.
According to the semi-final results, the Labor Party won 412 seats, more than the 326 seats needed to obtain an absolute majority in the House of Commons and be able to form a government on its own.
The number is slightly less than the historic result achieved by Tony Blair in 1997, when the party won 418 seats.
The Conservative Party, led by Sunak, recorded its worst result ever since the beginning of the twentieth century, with 121 MPs elected, compared to 365 five years ago when the party was led by Boris Johnson.
A large number of Conservative Party leaders lost their parliamentary seats, such as Defense Secretary Grant Shapps and Minister for Relations with Parliament Penny Mordaunt, who was a candidate to assume the party leadership in the future.
Former Conservative Prime Minister Liz Truss also lost her seat.
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