The Labour Party won a big victory in Thursday’s election, ending 14 years of Conservative rule under five different Tory prime ministers. Rishi Sunak resigned as the nation’s leader and the Conservative Party leader, apologizing to his colleagues and the country. Sir Keir Starmer is now the new prime minister. Several well-known Conservatives, including former Prime Minister Liz Truss, House leader Penny Mordaunt, and Jacob Rees-Mogg, also lost their seats in the election.
This victory marks a significant moment for Labour, as Starmer is only the fourth leader in the party’s 124-year history to lead it to an election win. He took over the leadership in 2020 after Labour suffered a significant loss of 84 seats in the 2019 elections.
At that time, many political observers doubted Labour’s ability to win future elections. Over the past four years, Starmer has worked to transform the party, shifting it towards the center and addressing issues of antisemitism and bigotry within its ranks. Despite accusations of being “dull,” Starmer has emphasized a need for stability over personality-driven politics.
In his first speech as prime minister, Starmer pledged that Labour would govern with a lighter touch, promising to serve all citizens regardless of their voting choices and to demonstrate that politics can be a force for good.
Labour Party Triumphs in Election Ending 14 Years of Conservative Rule
He stressed that his government would focus on service and stability, contrasting it with the “noisy performance” of previous administrations. His approach aims to reassure the public of a steady governance style after years of political turbulence.
Keir Starmer, named after Labour’s founder Keir Hardie, grew up in a modest household with a toolmaker father and a chronically ill nurse mother, experiences that shaped his worldview. He was the first in his family to attend college, studying law at Leeds University.
As a human rights lawyer, he defended clients facing the death penalty and served as a legal advisor to the Northern Ireland Policing Board, playing a role in post-Good Friday Agreement community reconciliation. Appointed as the Director of Public Prosecutions in 2008, Starmer led the prosecution service through significant budget cuts and was knighted in 2014 for his contributions.
Entering parliament in 2015, Starmer held various shadow positions, including shadow immigration minister and shadow secretary for leaving the European Union. He became Labour leader in 2020 after Jeremy Corbyn’s resignation post-2019 election defeat. Starmer’s leadership marked a shift from Corbyn’s left-leaning policies to a more center-left stance, which many believed was crucial for Labour’s recovery.
His disciplined leadership as opposition focused on holding the Conservative government accountable for various crises and scandals, ultimately leading to Labour’s recent electoral success. His campaign emphasized stability, promising reforms in healthcare, immigration, and economic recovery.
