All the votes have been counted except in Inverness, Skye and Ross-shire, which will finish its recount tomorrow, and which is on a knife-edge between the Liberal Democrats and the incumbent Scottish National Party. That means Labour's total, 412 seats, is not only one more than the exit poll but is a fraction of an MP smaller than Tony Blair's majority in 1997, taking into account the House of Commons is now 650 MPs instead of 659. It is a huge achievement for Keir Starmer, coming from further behind, and was produced by a rainbow coalition of anti-Conservative sentiment, with the Lib Dems, Reform and Greens all winning seats in unexpected places. There will be a lot of talk about how "unfair" the result was, with Labour winning two-thirds of seats on one-third of votes, but I agree with Anton Howes, the historian: "This is first past the post at its best, allowing the electorate to mete out proper punishment and let another team have a proper go of it without having to bend to fringe parties that hardly anybody at all wants." |
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How many seats did Reform UK win yesterday? |
Answer at the bottom of today's email |
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At The Independent, nobody tells us what to think; we make up our own mind and aren't afraid to do things differently. Like our readers, we value honesty and integrity above outside influences. With your support, we challenge the status quo, uncover crucial stories, and amplify unheard voices. If you like what we do, do take out a subscription and help support the best quality online-only journalism. |
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| Leading psephologist highlighted two uncertainties in predicting the result |
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| Business leaders crave the stability that Keir Starmer promises, writes Chris Blackhurst |
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| Harry Mount on the complicated working relationship between British monarchs and their Labour leaders |
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What else you need to know today |
- A lot of people behaved graciously in defeat. Rishi Sunak said of Keir Starmer: "In this job, his successes will be all of our successes and I wish him and his family well. Whatever our disagreements in this campaign, he is decent public-spirited man who I respect."
- Penny Mordaunt offered to help her Labour successor as MP for Portsmouth North set up her office
- Michael Gove congratulated Angela Rayner on taking over his department and wished her "all the best on Levelling Up" – a slogan that seems to have survived the change of government
- I wrote about how Keir Starmer's win sets him up for a two-term goverment because of the split on the right
- Book your place now for The Independent's post-election event, "The future of British politics," on 11 July. Star guest is the brilliant Prof Anand Menon of King's College London, plus Kate Devlin, Andrew Grice and me from The Independent. Sign up here.
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Nigel Farage is now an MP – could he really become prime minister by 2029? |
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The Reform UK leader plots a reverse takeover of the Conservative Party – but how?... Read more |
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A look back on election night |
Our political commentator John Rentoul on the overnight drama |
That was an election night that matched 1997 for surprises. In no particular order, the fall of Liz Truss, the election of four pro-Palestinian candidates, the defeat of George Galloway, and the surprise of an exit poll that gave Labour a lower number of seats than all the MRP polls and was still a landslide... Most memorable, though, was being at Keir Starmer's count in Holborn and St Pancras, where in the world-beating British tradition he had to share the stage with the Monster Raving Loony Party and a fathers' rights activist dressed as Elmo. He arrived early – most unlike grander politicians who would have waited until told that the numbers were ready – and chatted to everyone, including me. He said he was feeling "calm" about the challenge ahead. "We have been working for this for a long time. It is exactly four years and three months since I became leader, and I always thought it was possible," he said.
More well wishers crowded through the barrier of men in suits who were trying to give him space. A woman shouted from one of the balconies overlooking the stage: "Well done, Keir. Congratulations, prime minister!"
One of the supporters of Nick the Incredible Flying Brick, the Monster Raving Loony Party candidate, wanted to shake his hand and congratulate him. "I'm a Labour supporter, really," he confessed.
Finally, the candidates were told that the results had been "reconciled" and were shown a piece of paper with the numbers. Then they were onto the stage, and Starmer gave a local speech, thanking the "community of Holborn and St Pancras". There were shouts of "Free Palestine" from a small group in the corner, drowned out by boisterous cheers from most of the audience. He said: "You have voted, it is now time for us to deliver." |
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"I will judge my time in office a success if I know that, at the end of it, there are working-class kids from ordinary backgrounds living richer lives, their horizons expanded, and their potential realised" Rachel Reeves, chancellor of the exchequer |
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