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UK Election 2024 Highlights: ‘Labour Party set for landslide win’
UK Election 2024 Highlights: The UK, with a total of 650 seats in the House of Commons, began voting this morning at 7 am (local time) until 10 pm.
- 6:18 AM IST, July 5We are shifted our LIVE coverage to the following page. Click for new link
- 5:58 AM IST, July 5Voter turnout is likely to be low
- 5:47 AM IST, July 5‘14 years of the chaos and the scandals and the decline’
- 5:42 AM IST, July 5‘Once-in-a-century result,’ says Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper on upcoming poll results
- 5:22 AM IST, July 4What did the exit poll say?
- 1:46 PM IST, July 4People queue at a polling station to vote in London | See pic
- 1:30 PM IST, July 4Scottish First Minister and SNP leader John Swinney has just cast his vote
- 1:22 PM IST, July 4What if opinion polls come true?
- 1:02 PM IST, July 4Around 40,000 polling booths opened across the country
- 12:48 PM IST, July 4European stocks rise as UK polling stations open
- 12:35 PM IST, July 4Rishi Sunak along with his wife Akshata Murty casts votes
- 12:19 PM IST, July 4Here are some FAQs regarding voting today answered
- 12:12 PM IST, July 4Candidates contesting 650 seats across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland
- 12:01 PM IST, July 4What if you have to take your pet to the polling station?
- 11:52 AM IST, July 4Uncertainty surrounds Rishi Sunak's future as PM
- 11:43 AM IST, July 4Britain heads to polls with exit poll results expected tonight
- 11:18 AM IST, July 4What if no party has a majority after today's poll?
- 11:11 AM IST, July 4What is the exit poll timing? Election Night Timeline
- 10:40 AM IST, July 4What to know about Rishi Sunak?
- 9:02 AM IST, July 4Key candidates in fray, their promises, issues at stake
- 8:33 AM IST, July 4When will the final result be out?
- 8:07 AM IST, July 4Britain set for voting today; opinion polls predict historic win for Labour Party's Starmer
UK Election 2024 Live Highlights: Keir Starmer is set to become Britain's next prime minister, with Labour expected to win a large majority in the parliamentary election, according to an exit poll on Thursday. Rishi Sunak's Conservatives are predicted to face significant losses. The poll indicated Labour would win 410 seats in the 650-seat parliament, ending 14 years of Conservative-led rule....Read More
The value of the pound remained steady, as traders had already expected a Labour win. It was trading around $1.2758 and 84.74 pence per euro just before the exit poll. Financial markets had already adjusted for a Labour government with a strong majority in parliament to support its centre-left policies.
The United Kingdom began voting on Thursday, with polling stations open from 7 am until 10 pm (0600-2100 GMT).
Detailed results are expected early Friday.
Opinion polls for this year's UK Election indicated that the centre-left Labour Party is poised for a historic victory in 2024 election. On the final day of campaigning, both Labour leader Starmer and Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak warned voters of severe economic repercussions should the other candidate win.
Who is Labour Party's candidate Keir Starmer?
Keir Starmer, 61, a Labour Party candidate standing against Rishi Sunak in the UK Election 2024, assumed leadership of the party in 2020 following its worst electoral defeat in 84 years in 2019 under veteran left-wing figure Jeremy Corbyn. He focused on shaping Labour as a party known for competence and pragmatism rather than being driven primarily by ideology. Starmer, a former human rights lawyer who ascended to become Britain's top prosecutor, entered parliament in 2015 and served as Corbyn's spokesperson on Brexit. He was named after Keir Hardie, the founder of the Labour Party.
Starmer's campaign has centred on a simple promise of 'change', which resonates with public dissatisfaction over Britain's strained public services and declining living standards. These are symptoms of a sluggish economy and political uncertainty.
Key points to know
- The United Kingdom voted on Thursday to decide on Sunak's 20 months in office and the four Conservative prime ministers before him. They were widely expected to do something they have not done since 2005: elect a Labour Party government.
- British general elections are determined by individual votes in 650 districts, each representing a seat in the House of Commons. A party needs 326 seats for a majority, though about 320 seats typically suffice because the speaker and three deputies do not vote. Northern Ireland’s Sinn Fein abstains from taking their seats in Westminster.
- The Rupert Murdoch-owned British tabloid newspaper The Sun endorsed Labour and Starmer on Wednesday, stating in an online editorial: “It’s time for a change.”
- Sunak has tried to convince voters that his 20 months in office have set the economy on a positive trajectory following the external shocks of COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine, and has marked the end of years of turmoil under his Conservative predecessors. Facing an approximately 20-point deficit in opinion polls against Labour, Sunak turned to former prime minister Boris Johnson—the man he helped oust in 2022—inviting him to speak at a late-night Conservative rally on Tuesday.
- Many election experts predict a low voter turnout, below the 67% recorded in 2019. However, this election could bring significant change to Britain if it results in a large Labour majority and a weakened Conservative Party.
(With inputs from agencies)
UK 2024 elections: We are shifted our LIVE coverage to the following page. Click for new link
UK 2024 elections: We are shifted our LIVE coverage to the following page. Click for new link
UK 2024 elections: Voter turnout is likely to be low
UK 2024 elections: Prof Sir John Curtice, the psephologist who led the team that produced the exit poll, indicated that early results align with expectations of a low voter turnout.
Speaking to the BBC, Curtice stated: "We may discover we are heading towards one of the lower turnouts of general elections in postwar electoral history."
He also pointed out that there was "not that much difference between Conservative and Labour in much of what they were offering the electorate."
UK 2024 elections: ‘14 years of the chaos and the scandals and the decline’
UK 2024 elections: Labour's deputy leader, Angela Rayner, told Sky News that voters are punishing the Conservatives for “14 years of the chaos and the scandals and the decline.”
Labour’s national campaign chief, Pat McFadden, commented on the party's turnaround since its poor performance in the 2019 election, calling it “remarkable.”
“We have campaigned as a changed Labour Party, ready to change Britain,” he said.
(With AP inputs)
UK 2024 elections: ‘Once-in-a-century result,’ says Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper on upcoming poll results
UK 2024 elections: Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper remarks that her party seems headed for a "once-in-a-century result". Speaking to the BBC News channel, she credits leader Sir Ed Davey, saying he has "lit up this campaign".
UK 2024 elections: What did the exit poll say?
UK 2024 elections: According to the exit poll, Labour is projected to secure around 410 seats in the 650-seat House of Commons, while the Conservatives are expected to win 131 seats. This would mark the worst outcome for the Tories in their 200-year history, potentially leading to significant turmoil within the party. Keir Starmer, the 61-year-old leader of the centre-left party, appears set to assume the top role.
UK 2024 elections: Labour Party's Sharon Hodgson wins Washington and Gateshead South seats
Labour Party's Sharon Hodgson wins Washington and Gateshead South seats, BBC reports.
UK 2024 elections: Conservative leader Robert Buckland defeated by Labour's Heidi Alexander in Swindon South
Robert Buckland, the former justice secretary, was defeated by Labour's Heidi Alexander in Swindon South, reports BBC.
UK 2024 elections: Labour's Lewis Atkinson secures victory in Sunderland Central
Labour Party's candidate Lewis Atkinson secured victory in Sunderland Central with 16,852 votes, reports BBC.
UK 2024 elections: Labour's Ian Lavery wins in Blyth and Ashington
The second result of the night is here - Labour's Ian Lavery has won in Northumberland's Blyth and Ashington, reports The Guardian.
UK 2024 elections: Labour wins Houghton, Sunderland South in first result
Labour Party's Bridget Phillipson wins Houghton, Sunderland South in first election result, Reform UK Party comes second.
UK 2024 elections: What will UK's foreign policy look like under the Labour Party?
Keir Starmer's first month as prime minister will be very busy with international meetings, including talks with US President Joe Biden and European leaders.
His initial steps on the world stage will happen soon, at the NATO 75th anniversary summit in Washington next Tuesday to Thursday.
On July 18, Starmer will host a European Political Community meeting at Blenheim Palace, near Oxford, with France's Emmanuel Macron and Germany's Olaf Scholz expected to attend, AFP reported.
Labour, out of power since 2010, has promised a foreign policy of "progressive realism," acknowledging the world's volatility. David Lammy, expected to become foreign secretary, explained this approach as seeing the world "as it is, not as we would want it to be."
The party has also pledged to "make Brexit work" and pursue "an ambitious" security agreement with the European Union.
UK 2024 elections: Value of pound remains steady
The value of the pound remained steady, as traders had already expected a Labour win. It was trading around $1.2758 and 84.74 pence per euro just before the exit poll.
Financial markets had already adjusted for a Labour government with a strong majority in parliament to support its centre-left policies.
UK 2024 election: Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner on exit poll results
Labour's deputy leader, Angela Rayner, said the exit poll numbers are "encouraging," but reminded everyone that "an exit poll is a poll so we haven’t had any results yet."
UK 2024 election: Keir Starmer's message after Labour Party likely to gain massive win as per exit polls
Reactions to the exit poll, which predicts a Labour landslide, are continuing to pour in.
Keir Starmer has expressed his gratitude to everyone who campaigned and voted for his party. He said on X, “To everyone who has campaigned for Labour in this election, to everyone who voted for us and put their trust in our changed Labour Party - thank you.”
UK exit poll: Labour Party's Keir Starmer to become next UK PM? What did exit polls reveal?
The official election exit poll predicts Labour will secure 410 of the 650 seats in the House of Commons, the highest since Tony Blair's landslide in 1997. Sunak's Conservatives are expected to drop to 131 seats from 365 in 2019, which could see many prominent members lose their seats. The Liberal Democrats are projected to win 61 seats, while Nigel Farage's Reform UK is set to gain 13.
If the exit poll is accurate, Starmer is just hours away from replacing Sunak as British Prime Minister, marking a significant turnaround since Jeremy Corbyn led Labour to its worst performance in over 80 years just five years ago. When Starmer took over in 2020, it was widely believed that the Boris Johnson-led Tories would keep Labour out of power for at least another decade.
UK exit poll: Conservatives to win fewest seats since party was founded in 1834
Conservatives to win fewest seats in UK polls since the party was founded in 1834, exit poll suggests.
UK Election 2024: Labour Party to win massive election majority, exit poll shows
Keir Starmer will be Britain's next prime minister with his Labour Party set to win a massive majority in a parliamentary election, an exit poll on Thursday indicated, while Rishi Sunak's Conservatives are forecast to suffer historic losses.
The poll showed Labour would win 410 seats in the 650-seat parliament, ending 14 years of Conservative-led government.
Sunak's party were forecast to only take 131 seats, down from 346 when parliament was dissolved, as voters punish the Conservatives for a cost-of-living crisis and years of instability and in-fighting which has seen five different prime ministers since 2016.
Reuters
UK Election 2024: Exit polls results to be out soon
With only half an hour left until the exit poll results are announced, opinion polls have consistently shown Labour heading for a big win, with one of the largest parliamentary majorities ever. On the other hand, the Conservatives are expected to face one of their worst defeats, The Guardian reported.
UK Election 2024:European Stocks Advance With Elections in Focus: Markets Wrap
European stocks rose as key elections held center stage and investors grew more optimistic about Federal Reserve interest-rate cuts following US economic data that supported the case for easing.
France’s CAC 40 benchmark index advanced for a second day in the buildup to this weekend’s final round of voting in snap parliamentary elections. The gauge extended gains as polls suggested Marine Le Pen’s National Rally and its allies will fall well short of a majority. Voting is underway in the UK’s general election, with the first official exit poll expected soon after 10 p.m. local time.
Europe’s regional Stoxx 600 index climbed 0.6%, with banks the leading gainers. After the close, Stoxx 50 futures held close to the highest since mid-June. US equity futures contracts were little changed, with cash markets shut for Independence Day, after the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 set fresh record highs on Wednesday. A gauge of dollar strength dropped for a third day. The Brazilian real strengthened for a second day on the prospect of cuts in government spending.
Bloomberg
UK Election 2024: Glasgow City Council confirms ballots valid despite incorrect polling advice: Report
Glasgow City Council has reassured voters that their ballots will still be counted despite incorrect advice being displayed at a polling station today.
Posters at Notre Dame Primary School instructed people to rank their preferred candidates using the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system, instead of marking a single "X" under the first-past-the-post system.
The council informed BBC News that a "few" voters in the Glasgow West constituency had seen the erroneous advice, which was promptly removed. It remains unclear if anyone followed the incorrect instructions.
The council confirmed that ballots would still be counted, and any candidate with a "1" next to their name on the ballot paper will receive the vote.
UK Election 2024: British voters pick a new government against a backdrop of economic malaise and deep pessimism
British voters were picking a new government Thursday in a parliamentary election widely expected to bring the Labour Party to power against a gloomy backdrop of economic malaise, mounting distrust in institutions and a fraying social fabric.
A jaded electorate is delivering its verdict on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Conservative Party, which has been in power since 2010. Polls opened at 40,000 stations, including churches, a laundromat and a crematorium.
"Nothing has gone well in the last 14 years," said London voter James Erskine, who was optimistic for change. "I just see this as the potential for a seismic shift, and that’s what I’m hoping for."
While Labour’s steady and significant lead in the polls would appear to buck recent rightward electoral shifts in Europe, including in France and Italy, many of those same populist undercurrents flow in Britain. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has roiled the race with his party’s anti-migrant "take our country back" sentiment and undercut support for the Conservatives, who already faced dismal prospects.
AP
UK Election 2024: London's FTSE 100 closes nearly 1% higher
London's FTSE 100 closed nearly 1% higher on Thursday, boosted by gains in medical equipment company Smith & Nephew, while parliamentary polls in the country were underway with the Labour Party looking set to win.
The blue-chip FTSE 100 was up 0.9% and saw its best day in nearly two months.
The mid-cap FTSE 250 edged 0.4% higher at 20,610.34. Both indexes logged gains for the second consecutive day. (Reuters)
UK Election 2024: Who ‘The Sun’ has endorsed?
The Rupert Murdoch-owned British tabloid newspaper The Sun endorsed Labour and Starmer on Wednesday, stating in an online editorial: “It’s time for a change.”
UK Election 2024: What Opinon polls predicted?
Opinion polls for this year's UK Election indicate that the centre-left Labour Party is poised for a historic victory in Thursday's election. This would potentially end 14 years of Conservative rule and place Starmer in the prime minister's office at 10 Downing Street by Friday morning.
UK Election 2024: London stocks, pound climb
London's stock market and the pound advanced versus the dollar as Britons voted in a general election expected to be won by the centre-left and main opposition Labour party, reports AFP.
