With nearly all of the 650 seats declared, Keir Starmer will be the new prime minister as the Labour party secures a majority of 410 seats (and counting). The Conservatives are set to see their worst results in history, losing nearly 250 seats across the UK. The former prime minister Rishi Sunak managed to retain his own seat in Richmond and Northallerton but many other high-profile Tories and cabinet ministers, like Liz Truss and Penny Mordaunt, lost their seats. In his speech in his constituency, Sunak 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.”

Speaking at Royal Festival Hall in London, Starmer told a rally that people would be waking up to the news of a Labour victory and Tory defeat “relieved that a weight has been lifted, a burden finally removed”. He said that change “begins now” and promised an “age of national renewal” in which Labour would “start to rebuild our country”.

Elsewhere, the Liberal Democrats also saw historic gains and are now set to be the third largest party in parliament, winning at least 68 new seats. It’s the party’s best electoral performance in decades. The Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey said, “I am humbled by the millions of people who backed the Liberal Democrats to both kick the Conservatives out of power and deliver the change our country needs.”

The Greens have quadrupled their seats in parliament with three new seats gained in Bristol Central, North Herefordshire and Waveney Valley. Reform UK also saw gains in parliament with four MPs elected, including Nigel Farage in Clacton.

Parliament will also welcome the most independent MPs since 1950 with Jeremy Corbyn retaining his seat in Islington North as an independent and Labour’s Jonathan Ashworth – a surprise loss on the night – losing his Leicester South seat to independent candidate Shockat Adam.

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