UK Labour returns to power after 14 years with Keir Starmer as new PM

In the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer became the new British prime minister after Labour defeated the Conservatives in Thursday’s general election. It was the first time Labour had come to power in 14 years. But the energy and hope for change that marked France’s parliamentary elections were nowhere to be found in this election, which saw the lowest turnout in more than two decades. Starmer, a centrist who has pledged to lead a government of “stability and moderation,” made his first speech as prime minister on Friday.

Keir Starmer“We have turned a blind eye for too long as millions of people have fallen into greater insecurity: nursing staff, builders, drivers, carers, people who do the right thing, who work harder every day, who, in moments like this, are recognised; and yet, as soon as the cameras stop rolling, their lives are ignored. “I want to say to these people very clearly: this time, it won’t happen.”

In one of the most unexpected results of the British election, former Conservative Prime Minister Liz Truss lost her seat in Parliament. Far-right Nigel Farage, widely known for pushing for Britain to leave the European Union, won a seat in the House of Commons for the first time, after eight attempts. Irish nationalists Sinn Féin became the largest party in Northern Ireland in the British parliament for the first time. And former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn easily retained the seat he had held for more than four decades after running as an independent candidate in his London constituency.

After becoming prime minister, Stamer declared that the UK’s plan to deport migrants to Rwanda was “dead and buried”. For more information on the UK election, click here.