'People have spoken', says Sir Keir Starmer - as Labour set for election landslide

4 July 2024, 21:55 | Updated: 5 July 2024, 04:54

Sir Keir Starmer has promised to "return to politics as public service" in his first appearance since the exit poll predicted a Labour landslide in the general election.

Speaking after winning his own seat in north London, the Labour leader said people around the country had "spoken and they're ready for change, to end the politics of performance".

He added: "The change begins right here. Because this is your democracy, your community and your future. You have voted. It is now time for us to deliver."

The exit poll projects Labour will win 410 seats overnight - with an overall majority of 170 in the Commons.

That compares to a prediction of just 131 seats for Rishi Sunak's Conservatives - which would be the lowest seat tally in the party's history.

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Labour have made several gains as the results roll in - with a former minister, Sir Robert Buckland, becoming the first Tory casualty of the night.

But Mr Sunak's cabinet has now been gutted, with Science and Innovation Secretary Michelle Donelan, Education Secretary Gillian Keegan, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps, Leader of the Commons Penny Mordaunt, Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer, Justice Secretary Alex Chalk, Veterans Minister Johnny Mercer and Chief Whip Simon Hart all losing their seats to a range of parties.

The prime minister conceded defeat at his own election count, confirming he had called Sir Keir to congratulate him on his victory.

But it hasn't been an entirely smooth ride for Labour, who have lost Islington North to the party's former leader Jeremy Corbyn, who stood as an independent.

They have also lost Leicester South, where another independent ousted shadow paymaster general Jonathan Ashworth - appearing to be over the party's position on the Israel and Gaza conflict - and Bristol Central, where the Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer has beaten shadow culture secretary Thangam Debbonaire.

In another blow to the Conservatives, leader of Reform UK Nigel Farage won in Clacton - his eighth attempt at entering parliament - alongside former Tory Lee Anderson, who won his seat of Ashfield, and Rupert Lowe, who took Great Yarmouth for the party.

It came after a swathe of Reform candidates took second place in Labour seats, pushing the Tories into third or even fourth place.

Speaking after his win, Mr Farage said his party's performance at the election was "truly extraordinary", adding: "There is a massive gap on the centre-right of British politics and my job is to fill it."

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The Liberal Democrats have gained a raft of their own seats, including Chichester - which saw the ousting of cabinet minister Ms Keegan - as they look set to return a much larger number of MPs to the Commons.

The exit poll has predicted they will win 61 in total, while the SNP could fall to as few as 10 seats - swapping with the Lib Dems as the third largest party.

A Lib Dem spokesperson said: "From the West Country to Greater Manchester, the map is being painted gold as Liberal Democrats sweep to victory in the Conservative Party's former heartlands."

The chairman of the Brexiteer European Research Group (ERG), Mark Francois, was the first Conservative of the night to hold his seat - though he lost over 35% of the vote share.

But George Galloway, who won the seat of Rochdale in a by-election earlier this year, has been voted out, with locals choosing the Labour candidate - and former political journalist - Paul Waugh instead.

Ms Reeves told Sky News she was "under no illusions about the scale of the challenge" her party faces if it takes power, adding: "We can't promise to turn everything around straight away, but we will get to work and starting to rebuild our economy, bringing growth back to our economy and starting to turn around public services that have been so neglected by this Conservative government."

Also speaking to Sky News, former Tory cabinet minister Andrea Leadsom said it was a "devastating night" for her party, but claimed the reason for the scale of the projected losses was because they had "not been properly Conservative enough" to win over voters.

"I don't actually think in the end we'll see huge enthusiasm for Labour," she said. "But I think a lot of people are very angry with the Conservatives.

"I think Reform have done very well out of it because they've been a protest... and we're going to have to rethink."

The results started coming in just before 11.30pm on Thursday after a six-week campaign, launched by Mr Sunak in the pouring rain in Downing Street, which has seen Labour dominate in the polls throughout.

He has faced a number of mishaps throughout the campaign, from his decision to leave D-Day early to his party becoming embroiled in a betting scandal.

But the prime minister insisted he would "fight" to prevent a Labour "supermajority".

(c) Sky News 2024: 'People have spoken', says Sir Keir Starmer - as Labour set for election landslide