Rishi Sunak of the UK has expressed his intentions to step down as the Prime Minister and leader of the defeated Conservative Party upon meeting King Charles, following a significant election victory by Keir Starmer’s Labour Party. His resignation speech, addressed to the public outside Downing Street, acknowledged the need for dramatic change in the UK government as expressed by the public vote.
He accepted accountability for the defeat and expressed regret to the unsuccessful yet hardworking Conservative campaigners. He confirmed that his resignation from his leadership role would happen after his successor had been chosen officially.
Mr Sunak voiced his sentiments at the count for his Richmond & Northern Allerton constituency in North Yorkshire, where he held his seat against odds. He acknowledged the Labour party’s election win and congratulated Sir Keir Starmer on his achievement. Emphasizing the country’s political stability, he acknowledged the peaceful power transition taking place.
He will maintain his position as an MP for his constituency. His individual votes exceeded the expected number. The Conservative party harboured some joy with Jeremy Hunt, the Chancellor of the exchequer, successfully holding his seat in Godalming and Ash.
Mr Hunt expressed his best wishes to the incoming prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer, and incoming Chancellor of the exchequer, Rachel Reeves. He suggested that they could implement much-needed reforms within the NHS that proved elusive to the previous Tory government.
He also analysed bluntly why the Tories had lost, stressing the importance of understanding the lost trust of voters. Another triumphant Tory MP, former leader Iain Duncan-Smith, managed to retain his Chingford & Wood Green seat despite pessimistic poll predictions. He’s held this seat since 1992.
The victory of Mr Duncan-Smith could be attributed to the division of the Labour’s votes between Shama Tatler, the party’s candidate, and Faiza Shaheen, the former nominee who was disqualified on charges of anti-Semitism. They garnered almost 25,000 votes between them, a substantial figure that would have easily surpassed Duncan-Smith’s count. However, the divide saw Duncan-Smith taking the lead in a first-past-the-post system.
The past Home Secretary and current MP for Fareham and Waterlooville, Suella Braverman, is another survivor from the Tory side and is widely tipped to be in the running for the party’s leadership. Braverman expressed her remorse for her party’s shortfalls and pledged to mend relations with the electorate. Acknowledging the voters’ disappointment, she said, “I am sorry the Conservative Party has failed you. Despite being in power for over 14 years, we did not fulfil our commitments. It is my responsibility to rebuild this broken trust and ensure we are truly hearing your voice. Your message to us has been loud and clear.”