U.K. Labour Party installs new prime minister after election win

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Britain's Labour Party Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria wave from the doorstep of 10 Downing Street in London. Associated Press/Photo by Kin Cheung

U.K. Labour Party installs new prime minister after election win

Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Friday morning conceded defeat and said he would step down as the Conservative Party leader after his party lost about 250 seats in the 650-seat House of Commons. The left-of-center Labour Party won 410 seats, ending 14 years of Conservative government. Incoming Prime Minister Keir Starmer met Friday with King Charles III where he accepted the king’s invitation to form a government before traveling to his new home at 10 Downing Street. Sunak maintained his seat in Richmond and Northallerton, while former Prime Minister Liz Truss lost her seat.

What was Starmer’s platform? The Labour Party leader said he plans to tackle the cost-of-living crisis in Britain and promote economic growth. In a campaign manifesto, Starmer said he would improve the United Kingdom’s trade deals with the European Union, invest in clean British energy, and improve national security. Starmer on Friday gave his first speech as prime minister in front of 10 Downing Street where he promised to rebuild Britain.

Dig deeper: Read Emma Freire and Elizabeth Russell’s report in WORLD Magazine about the U.K. election.

Lauren Canterberry

Lauren Canterberry is a reporter for WORLD. She graduated from the World Journalism Institute and the University of Georgia with a degree in journalism, both in 2017. She worked as a local reporter in Texas and now lives in Georgia with her husband.