Exit polls predict a historic win for UK's Labour: Reuters

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Reuters
5 Jul 2024 01:34

Labour is expected to secure 410 seats out if 650, which would grant it the majority to win and result in the booting of the Conservative party, following a 14-year run.

Britain's main opposition Labour Party leader Keir Starmer delivers a speech during a campaign event in Glasgow on July 3, 2024 on the eve of the the UK general election. (AFP)

Labour's Keir Starmer is set to be the United Kingdom's new prime minister, with Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives expected to suffer a historic loss in the country's general elections, an exit poll concluded on Thursday, Reuters reported.

The center-left Labour Party, according to the poll, should secure 410 out of 650 seats, which would grant it a majority of 170, marking its best result since 1935, and ending the Conservatives' 14-year run in government.

So far, amid anticipation for official results, Labour has officially secured the Sunderland and Blyth and Ashington seats.

Sunak's party, in this context, is expected to win 131 seats only, marking the worst result in its history, according to Reuters, amid policies that have exacerbated the living crisis, instability, and in-fighting.

Predictions showed that the centrist Liberal Democrats were expected to secure 61 seats, whereas the right-wing populist Reform UK party, led by Brexit advocate Nigel Farage with ambitions to dismantle the Conservative party, was forecasted to win 13 seats.

Despite Reform UK performing better than anticipated in these predictions, the election results indicate that British voters have notably swung their support towards the center-left. This contrasts with recent events in France, where Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally party achieved significant gains in a recent election.

Not only were the Conservatives expected to see a significant decline in their vote, but the pro-independence Scottish National Party was also predicted to win just 10 seats, marking its poorest performance since 2010 amid internal leadership changes over the past year.

Exit polls have accurately predicted five of the last six UK elections, with official results expected in the coming hours.

Voting for the United Kingdom general election began on Thursday morning, with polls suggesting a "landslide win" for the Labour Party with Keir Starmer acting as the new prime minister, ending the 14-year rule of the Conservative party.

For the first time in England, Scotland, and Wales, voters will be required to provide photo identification before voting in person. Northern Ireland implemented voter identification back in 2002.