The UK political landscape has undergone a radical change with the recent election, marked by a historic majority for Labour and a significant collapse for the Conservatives. According to exit polls, Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt is among a number of Tory ministers set to lose their seats. Hunt, one of the party’s most recognisable faces, looks set to be defeated by the Lib Dems in the Godalming & Ash constituency. Other high-profile ministers such as Grant Shapps, Johnny Mercer, Mark Harper, Mel Stride, Steve Barclay and Penny Mordaunt could also lose in their respective constituencies.
These results mark a return to power for Labour after 14 years of Conservative governments. Exit polls indicate a historic majority for the party led by Keir Starmer, with 410 seats out of the 650 in the House of Commons. The Conservatives, on the other hand, have collapsed to 131 seats, marking their historical low, even surpassing the negative record of 1906.
Ed Davey’s Liberal Democrats are projected to win 61 seats, while the far-right Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, could win 13 seats, despite having a larger vote than the Lib Dems, but less effectively distributed across single-member constituencies. In Scotland, Labour has taken advantage of the SNP’s fall, going from 48 to 10 seats.
Labour’s victory is seen as a return to normality after years of turbulence under Conservative rule, marked by crises, scandals and changes in leadership. Keir Starmer, a former crown prosecutor, has promised to focus on policies that improve the lives of ordinary people, without reopening old wounds like Brexit.
With a super majority in Parliament, Starmer now has the opportunity to implement a legislative program that includes economic stability, healthcare, public housing, security and the fight against illegal immigration. He also promised continued support for Ukraine and loyalty to the United States and NATO.
For the Conservatives, the challenge now is to start again from the abyss, choosing a new leader after the inevitable farewell of Rishi Sunak, and trying to re-establish their position as the main opposition party, threatened by the revived Liberal Democrats and the far-right of Farage.
