UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has conceded defeat in UK elections, votes for which were cast on Thursday (July 4). With Sunak conceding, path is now clear for Labour Party leader Keir Starmer to become the next prime minister. The Labour Party is on path to secure a landslide victory ending 14-year rule of the Conservative Party.
Sunak was addressing his supporters and media when he said,"The Labour Party has won this general election."
He congratulated Keir Starmer for the victory while taking responsibility for the Conservative Party's electoral defeat.
He was able to secure victory in Richmond and Northallerton. But under his leadership, the Conservative Party suffered its worst-ever electoral defeat.
Till now, 500 out of 650 House of Commons seats have been declared. The halfway mark is 326. The vote count is still going on but it is projected that Labour Party would not only cross the halfway mark, but would win 166 more seats.
The gamble backfires
General elections were not due in the UK till January 2025. But Sunak surprised many by calling early polls. His expectations of greater voter support in wake of better economic situation fell flat.
Conservative Party under Rishi Sunak entered the electoral fray with a 14-year fatigue during which the party has had to appoint five prime ministers, and more than one of them were in news for wrong reasons right when they were in the office.
Former PM Boris Johnson lost the premiership and even his parliamentary seat after it was revealed that he lied to lawmakers about his partying just when whole of UK was in strict COVID lockdown.
Liz Truss, another Conservative Party PM, had to step down after just 45 days in office after her disastrous economic policy tanked the British economy and sent major jitters throughout the world.
