The U.K. general election took place on July 4, 2024. While in the US, the most heated debate was whether ketchup belongs on a hot dog.
Of the 650 total seats in Parliament, 411 were won by the Labour Party, signaling a dramatic shift in majority rule. The Conservatives — who once held power — won only 121, marking a significant defeat. This election starkly contrasts the 2019 results, where the Conservatives had a strong majority. The Labour Party gained 209 seats compared to 2019 ,while the Conservatives lost 244 seats.
The Conservatives are known for national security, military investment and the protection of traditional cultural values. The Labour Party is more left-leaning, supporting the provision of social services.
Other parties made notable gains. The Liberal Democrats now hold 72 seats — an increase of 61 from 2019. The Scottish National Party won nine seats and The Green Party of England and Wales secured four.
Former U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak — part of The Conservatives — announced the election. His party had been trailing in the polls for a while. For Sunak, favorability would likely worsen if he pushed the election back further, leading him to call the election earlier than expected.
“Now is the moment for Britain to choose its future and decide whether it wants to build on the progress we have made or risk going back to square one and no certainty,” Sunak said after calling the election.
Keir Starmer of the Labour Party was confirmed to be Britain’s new prime minister, following Rishi Sunak. Following his party’s poor performance in the polls, Sunak publicly apologized.
“And for those of us in my party, let me begin with a message to those who are no longer sitting behind me (in Parliament). I am sorry. We have lost too many diligent community-spirited representatives whose wisdom and expertise will be missed in the debates and discussions ahead,” Sunak said.
Starmer has met with King Charles at Buckingham Palace, and he officially accepted the role. Starmer was the first in his family to go to university, and he studied law at Leeds University and became a lawyer after graduation. He later became the head of the Crown Prosecution Service and received a knighthood for his services in criminal justice. Later in life, he entered politics and was elected to Parliament in 2015. In 2020, he was elected to be the leader of the Labour Party.
In recent news, Starmer has publicly defended President Joe Biden, despite negative press. After meeting with Biden at the NATO summit, Starmer complimented his leadership.
“We covered a lot of ground — strategic ground, international stuff, not just Ukraine. He was on good form,” Starmer shared.
While Great Britain seems to be moving toward the left, other countries throughout Europe seem to be doing the opposite — notably France. The National Rally Party just took a record number of seats in Parliament. Championed by Marine Le Pen, the party elected a record number of deputies to the National Assembly.
The National Rally won the biggest share of votes in the first round, but it finished third in the second round. Although a weaker performance in the later round, the party’s rise is still notable.
