New Delhi:

Labour’s Sir Keir Starmer delivered a storming victory speech Friday morning after the party swept the UK general election, declaring the country “gets its future back after 14 years (of a Conservative Party government)”. Accompanied by loud cheers the Prime Minister-elect thanked party workers for their hard work and pledged that his administration would work towards “national renewal”.

“Thank you truly… you have changed our country,” Mr Starmer told a sea of supporters at a dawn victory rally in central London, moments after the outgoing PM, Rishi Sunak, conceded.

“(But) a mandate like this comes with a great responsibility… Today we start the next chapter… begin the work of change, the mission of national renewal, and start to rebuild our country.”

“We have to return politics to public service and show out government can be a force for good,” he said, even as results trickled in from across the country to add to Labour’s already unbeatable lead.

Mr Starmer won his seat of Holborn and St Pancras in central London despite a sharply reduced majority – from nearly 23,000 votes in 2019 to fewer than 12,000 this time.

Labour crossed the majority mark of 326 – and is on course to match exit poll predictions of over 400 seats, a ‘400 paar’ in the United Kingdom – in the 650-seat House of Commons early this morning, prompting Mr Sunak to throw in the towel and promise a “peaceful and orderly” handover.

“I am sorry…” Mr Sunak told the Conservative Party and its supporters, “I take responsibility for the loss.” Mr Sunak surprised many by calling for an election ahead of schedule – when his party was 20 points behind Labour in opinion polls – believing the gap would reverse, as it has in past elections.

Unfortunately it did not. Mr Sunak did, though, retain his seat of Richmond and Northallerton. He has vowed to continue as an MP even if, as is likely, he will be relieved of party leadership.

“The Labour Party has won this election and I have called Keir Starmer to congratulate him.”

The Conservative Party has suffered big defeats in several constituencies, and has been wiped out entirely in Wales – their worst result since 1997 – with Labour making big gains.

Labour also made gains in Scotland, where the Scottish National Party – which was defending 48 of 57 seats – has been thumped. First Minister John Swinney called the results “damaging” for his party.

In Glasgow, Labour took all six seats from SNP.