A few thoughts on the General Election

“Change begins now” are the words of the UK’s newest prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer, after his Labour Party wiped out the Conservatives, bringing the party’s turbulent 14-year rule to an end.

In a historic landslide, the Labour Party won a majority in the House of Commons, 412 seats across the UK. Exit polls, announced when voting stopped at 10pm, that Labour would have a 170 seat majority in the House of Commons.

Outgoing prime minister, Rishi Sunak, conceded defeat to Sir Keir from his constituency count in Richmond, North Yorkshire, in the early hours of the morning - saying he took responsibility for the loss, despite regaining his seat as MP.

The former ruling party lost 250 MPs, sinking to just 121 Conservative representatives (2 to declare). The Conservatives lost a record number of cabinet ministers ousted from their constituencies, including defence secretary Grant Shapps, justice secretary Alex Chalk and education secretary Gillian Keegan.

Leader of the House of Commons Penny Mordaunt, former prime minister Liz Truss and the leader of the Scottish Conservative Party Douglas Ross were also unsuccessful in regaining their seats. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, who was vulnerable in his Surrey seat, was able to hang on but with a drastically reduced majority.

Sir Ed Davey and the Liberal Democrats enjoyed a successful night winning 71 seats, after polls suggesting they would win around 50 seats. A big increase on the number of seats they achieved in 2019, with just 11.

Reform UK was predicted to win 13 seats - out of 650 - with voters across the country swinging to the party in their thousands costing the Conservatives seat after seat.

Group leader, Nigel Farage, was finally successful in gaining a seat in Parliament - on his eighth time trying - joining other new Reform MPs, including Richard Tice and ex-Tory MP Lee Anderson. Overall, despite achieving a 2% higher share of the vote than the Liberal Democrats, they only won 4 seats.

Today Sir Keir will be invited by King Charles III to form His Majesty’s Government and walk through the doors of 10 Downing Street to start his five-year premiership.

A volatility now exists where the affinity the public have had with the two main parties seems to have ended. The share of vote for the two main parties at 59% is the lowest it’s been for many years, with the principle of safe seats in most cases just a memory.

The Labour Party have made a number of promises to planning and development, and the party has a big majority, but the public have made clear that their vote should not be taken for granted.