UK’s Keir Starmer officially becomes Prime Minister, promises ‘age of national renewal’ as Labour Party celebrates landslide victory
It’s official — Britain has a new prime minister.
Sir Keir Starmer has promised to deliver “an age of national renewal” after the party brought a crushing end to the Conservatives after a 14-year rule.
Starmer, leader of the Labour Party, and his team secured a massive landslide victory Friday morning — the worst defeat in the Conservative Party’s history.
Starmer and his wife, Victoria, arrived at Buckingham Palace Friday for a private appointment with King Charles, during which the monarch, 75, asked the PM to form a new government.
During the “kissing hands” ceremony, Charles officially named Starmer Britain’s new leader after outgoing PM Rishi Sunak handed in his resignation that morning.
In a brief victory speech at London’s Royal Festival Hall, Starmer, 61, said the win “feels good.”
“Four and a half years of work, changing the party. This is what it is for. A changed Labour Party, ready to serve our country, ready to restore Britain to the service of working people,” said Starmer, who has been guiding the party to its first general election victory since 2005.
Starmer, a former public prosecutor and human rights lawyer who has led Labour since early 2020, promised that work to “rebuild our country” will start immediately.
“The sunlight of hope was shining once again in a country with an opportunity after 14 years to get its future back,” he said, adding that the British public will be “relieved that a weight has been lifted, a burden finally removed from the shoulders of this great nation.”
The Conservatives, led by Sunak, were hit with their worst result since the modern party’s founding in 1834.
Labour secured 410 seats out of 650 in the House of Commons, while Sunak’s Conservatives only won 118.
The Conservatives were projected to claim just 131 seats.
In a short speech, Sunak admitted that it had been a “difficult night” for his party after a record number of cabinet ministers lost their seats.
“The British people have delivered a sobering verdict tonight, there is much to learn… and I take responsibility for the loss,” he said.
“To the many good, hard-working Conservative candidates who lost tonight, despite their tireless efforts, their local records and delivery, and their dedication to their communities. I am sorry.”
Sunak promised power would “change hands in a peaceful and orderly manner, with goodwill on all sides.”
Sunak, 44, was appointed prime minister in October 2022 following the resignation of Liz Truss, whose 44-day tenure at 10 Downing Street was the shortest in British history.
He is expected to announce his resignation Friday morning, after which Starmer will go to Buckingham Palace to “kiss hands” with King Charles III.
Thursday’s general election is the first to be held in the reign of the monarch, 75, who ascended the throne in September 2022 upon the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
