Rishi Sunak resigned shortly after returning to London from his rural constituency in northern England, where his party’s significant defeat became clear. The Conservative Party’s previous worst election result was in 1906 with 156 seats.
Former leader William Hague described the outcome as historically catastrophic, although politics professor Tim Bale suggested it wasn’t as dire as some had predicted. The Conservatives now face decisions on how to recover.
Former Interior Minister Suella Braverman criticized the Tories for not heeding the British people, while Brexit advocate Nigel Farage, newly elected as an MP, aims to influence the party’s direction.
Labour’s resurgence marks a dramatic reversal from five years ago under Jeremy Corbyn, where the party suffered its worst defeat since 1935 amidst Brexit turmoil.
Under Keir Starmer’s leadership since early 2020, Labour has moved towards the center, improving its electability by addressing internal strife and anti-Semitism.
Opinion polls consistently favor Labour by around 20 points over the Tories since Liz Truss’s resignation, signaling a likely Labour victory—the first since Tony Blair in 2005. However, Labour’s expected vote count is lower than in 2019, partly due to decreased turnout.
Starmer faces significant challenges ahead, including sluggish economic growth, strained public services from severe cuts, and financial pressures on households.
He has pledged to restore political integrity following a period marked by five Tory prime ministers in 14 years, scandal, and controversy.
