The United Kingdom woke up to a new government as the 2024 General Elections broke several records. As Rishi Sunak’s Conservative party had lost with huge margins to Keir Starmer’s Labour party. Electing Keir Starmer as the new Prime Minister of UK, this marks Labour party return after 14 years.
Also includes the election of a record number of female lawmakers to the House of Commons. When the House reconvenes with a new party at the helm, there will be at least 242 female MPs, surpassing the previous record of 220 set in 2019. The proportion of female MPs reached 34% in 2019, the highest to date, with previous tallies of 207 in 2017 and 196 in 2015.
Sunak’s Cabinet Faces Historic Losses
In a significant blow to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s administration, several key ministers lost their seats in the 2024 General Elections. Sunak, who has already conceded defeat to Labour Party leader Keir Starmer, saw eleven sitting Cabinet ministers lose their respective constituencies. Notable losses included Defence Secretary, Education Secretary Gillian Keegan, Justice Secretary Alex Chalk, and Leader of the House of Commons Penny Mordaunt. This marked the worst performance by an incumbent administration since 1997 when seven Cabinet ministers lost their seats.
Labour’s Resounding Victory
Starmer’s Labour achieved a landslide victory in the snap poll called by Sunak, ending the Conservatives’ 14-year reign. The Conservative tenure was marked by Brexit, a pandemic, and significant political and financial turbulence, resulting in three Prime Ministers in just one year.
“We did it!” Starmer declared to supporters in a jubilant victory speech early Friday morning. Labour secured 412 seats in the 650-seat House of Commons, according to near-final results. The Conservatives were reduced to just 121 seats, marking their worst performance in nearly 200 years.
As Starmer prepares to take office, the UK will not only see a new government but also a highly representative lower chamber, with a record number of female MPs.