Newly appointed UK Prime Minister and Labour leader Keir Starmer on Tuesday praised outgoing premier Rishi Sunak for serving as UK’s first British Asian.
Delivering his first speech as the UK PM outside 10, Downing Street, PM Starmer said: “The extra effort that that will have required” – should not be “underestimated by anyone”.
He also said he recognises the “dedication and hard work” Sunak brought to his leadership.
“My government will fight every day until you believe again. From now on, you have a government unburdened by doctrine, guided only by the determination to serve your interest,” Starmer added.
Citing the need for improved schools and affordable housing, Starmer promised to “rebuild” the country’s “infrastructure of opportunity,” doing so “brick by brick.”
He pledged to lead a “government of service” and emphasized the need for a national “reset”.
Starmer said that he acknowledges the complexity of changing a nation: “Transforming a country isn’t like flipping a switch; it will take time. But we start now.” He said, “Service is the foundation of hope. Our nation needs a profound reset, a rediscovery of who we are. Through the storms of history, our strength lies in navigating to calmer waters.”
“My government will fight every day until you believe again. From now on, you have a government unburdened by doctrine, guided only by the determination to serve your interest,” he added.
The Labour Party has won Britain’s general election, bringing a new party to power for the first time in 14 years. The Labour party secured 412 (+211) seats with Rishi Sunak’s Conservative Party down to 121 (-250) seats in the 650-seat House of Commons.
Later in the day, Starmer met King Charles III at Buckingham Palace. Following that he was formally asked to form the government.
Outgoing PM Sunak, while conceding defeat, said the Opposition Labour Party had won. Sunak said the British people had delivered a “sobering verdict” and there was a lot to learn and reflect on.
“The British people have delivered a sobering verdict tonight… and I take responsibility for the loss,” Sunak, the UK’s first prime minister of colour, said.
“The Labour Party has won this general election and I have called Sir Keir Starmer to congratulate him on his victory,” Sunak said after winning his parliamentary seat of Richmond and Northallerton in northern England.
Sunak took over as Prime Minister in 2022 after his predecessor, Liz Truss, stepped down after just 45 days in office.
