Keir Starmer new U.K. new British PM as Labour Party wins polls
The HinduThe U.K.’s Labour Party, led by Keir Starmer, won the July 4 general election by a landslide, securing 412 seats with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Conservative Party down to 121 seats in the 650-seat House of Commons. Standing outside London’s iconic Tate Modern in the early hours of Friday morning, the 61-year-old Mr. Starmer spoke of Labour’s central theme, reflecting “a changed Labour Party” and a change to 14 years of Tory government. “The Labour Party has won this general election and I’ve called Sir Kier Starmer to congratulate him on his victory,” Mr. Sunak said, adding, that power would change hands “in a peaceful and orderly manner”. The new Prime Minister, Mr. Starmer, standing outside the Prime Minister’s official residence, No.10 Downing Street, with his wife Victoria Starmer, minutes after Mr. Sunak and his family departed, said his government would put the “country first, party second”. As for what it means for India, the editorial pointed out that “the defeat of Mr. Sunak will feel somewhat personal, given their pride in his being the first British Prime Minister of Asian origin, with Indian ancestry — a bond he affirmed as well.” But despite attempts by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mr. Sunak, the India-U.K. FTA could not be taken across the finish line, it pointed out.