Displaying items by tag: conservatives

Sir Keir Starmer has declared a historic Labour victory in Britain’s general election, achieving a majority of at least 172 seats. Rishi Sunak acknowledged the Conservative party’s devastating defeat, which saw its worst-ever result. Despite Labour’s historic win, its public support remains shallow, securing power with about 34% of the national vote. Starmer, addressing activists, emphasised hope and progress. Labour’s victory mirrors Tony Blair’s 1997 landslide, but with a lower vote share. Its success was partly due to the rightwing vote being split by Nigel Farage’s Reform party. One pollster commented that it seemed more a Conservative loss than a Labour win. The Liberal Democrats won 71 seats (compared with only eight in 2019), and the other big losers were the Scottish National Party, which lost 38 seats in the Labour ‘tsunami’. Overall turnout was only 60%, almost the lowest-ever proportion in a general election.

Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer engaged in a heated final debate before the general election on 4 July, clashing over tax, immigration, gender, and Brexit. Sunak accused Starmer of planning tax hikes and lacking a strategy for illegal immigration. Starmer countered by criticising Sunak's unfunded tax promises and alleged detachment from voters. Both faced tough questions from the audience, including doubts about their suitability as leaders. Starmer also accused Sunak of being 'bullied' into addressing the scandal involving a number of Tory candidates betting on the election date. Sunak defended his actions as necessary due to the seriousness of the matter. See This scandal has hit the Conservatives at a critical moment, potentially jeopardising their already shaky election prospects. Keir Starmer has called for accountability, emphasising that such actions are unacceptable.

Following the European Parliament election, the European People's Party (EPP) has secured 184 seats, a quarter of the 720-member chamber. Far-right groups also made significant gains. The centre-left Socialists and Democrats remained stable, but the liberal Renew Europe group suffered significant losses. EPP leader Manfred Weber emphasised the party's alignment with industry, rural areas, and farmers. The party might form a coalition with socialists and liberals or negotiate with right-wing parties without alienating centrists. Far-right parties like France's National Rally and Italy's Brothers of Italy made notable strides, while Spain's Vox party lost ground to a new far-right party. If unified, the far right would be the second-largest force in Parliament. Ursula von der Leyen's re-election prospects as Commissioner are uncertain, as she needs full support from the three centrist groups.