UK Elections 2024: Rishi Sunak expected to step down as Conservative Party leader

According to The Sunday Times on Times Radio, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is set to announce his resignation as Conservative Party leader on Friday morning. This decision follows indications from a survey for UK broadcasters suggesting a potential landslide victory for the centre-left Labour Party in the 2024 elections.

The survey predicts Labour securing 410 seats in the 650-seat House of Commons, marking their return to power with a 170-seat majority, the first since 2010. Meanwhile, Sunak’s Conservative Party is expected to capture only 131 seats, a historic low. Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party may secure 13 seats, further fragmenting the right-wing vote, as reported by AFP.

Additionally, the smaller opposition Liberal Democrats are projected to gain 61 seats, surpassing the Scottish National Party expected to secure 10 seats, becoming the third-largest party. This electoral shift contrasts with recent rightward trends seen in Britain’s closest Western allies, including potential far-right gains in France and Donald Trump’s resurgence in the United States. British newspapers are highlighting Labour’s imminent return to power, the first time since Gordon Brown’s tenure in 2010. The Labour-supporting Daily Mirror’s headline reads, “Keir We Go,” while The Sun declares, “Britain sees red.”

Both Labour leader Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak have expressed gratitude to their respective supporters and activists for their efforts during the election campaign. However, senior Labour officials are cautious about celebrating prematurely, according to AFP reports. The counting of ballots from approximately 40,000 polling stations across the country continues through the night, with official results anticipated by Friday morning.

The first result, Bridget Phillipson’s re-election as MP for Houghton and Sunderland South, was announced just over an hour after polls closed at 2100 GMT.