Election 2024
Results: parties by seats
326 seats for a majority
0 seats to go
  • Labour: 412 seats, 211 seats gained
  • Conservative: 121 seats, 251 seats lost
  • Liberal Democrat: 72 seats, 64 seats gained
  • Scottish National Party: 9 seats, 39 seats lost
  • Sinn Fein: 7 seats, No change
  • Others: 29 seats, 15 seats gained
Change since 2019

Summary

  • Prime Minister Keir Starmer announces his cabinet, with Rachel Reeves becoming the UK's first female chancellor

  • Angela Rayner is made deputy prime minister, Yvette Cooper becomes home secretary and David Lammy is the new foreign secretary

  • Wes Streeting, the new health secretary, says "the NHS is broken" and that talks on the junior doctor pay dispute will begin next week

  • Starmer vows to restore trust in politics and build a "government of service", in his first speech as prime minister

  • Rishi Sunak said he would resign as Conservative Party leader, after Labour's landslide victory in the general election

Media caption,

One PM out and another in... the day in 60 seconds

  1. Cabinet appointees now arriving in steady flowpublished at 14:58 British Summer Time 5 July

    Shabana MahmoodImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    Shabana Mahmood

    More future cabinet ministers are beginning to arrive now, with Shabana Mahmood, John Healey and Wes Streeting having just walked through the black No 10 door.

    If they continue to hold their shadow cabinet positions, we're likely looking at the new justice, defence and health secretaries.

    Wes StreetingImage source, EPA
    Image caption,

    Wes Streeting

  2. Rachel Reeves and Pat McFadden arrive in Downing Streetpublished at 14:55 British Summer Time 5 July
    Breaking

    Rachel ReevesImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    Rachel Reeves

    The likely future chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has just arrived to see the prime minister.

    While there are no guarantees she becomes Keir Starmer's new neighbour in Downing Street, it would be quite the turn of events if she was not given the keys to the Treasury.

    Pat McFadden, one of Keir Starmer's staunchest allies and key architects of the Labour campaign, arrived just ahead of her.

    He's the second senior Labour politician to visit Starmer in his new home, which says a lot about his significance to the new prime minister.

    But it is not clear what role in cabinet he is due to be given.

    "We’ll have to wait and see," McFadden grins as our political correspondent Harry Farley tries to ask him which job he’s going to get in the cabinet.

    Pat McFadden arrivesImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    Pat McFadden

  3. Result shows 'no enthusiasm' for Labour, Reform leader sayspublished at 14:54 British Summer Time 5 July

    Farage continues, after a bumpy start, telling the audience that the vote shows no "enthusiasm" for Starmer's Labour Party.

    He says it was "interesting" to watch Starmer's first prime ministerial address, saying the Labour leader looked down at his notes "over 150 times".

    Farage says the people with him do not need a "script" as they "know what they believe in".

  4. Farage demands electoral reformpublished at 14:51 British Summer Time 5 July

    Farage begins by saying he had two very clear objectives when he returned to frontline politics.

    The first was to "get millions of votes" and the second was to "establish a bridgehead in parliament”

    He says that a recount is taking place in James Murdoch's constituency and hopes there will ultimately be five Reform MPs

    He says the first past the post electoral system “is not fit for purpose” and he will work with any other party to reform it.

  5. 'Boring!' says Farage, as protesters pulled outpublished at 14:48 British Summer Time 5 July

    Media caption,

    Watch: Moment hecklers removed as Farage starts speech

    As Reform UK leader Nigel Farage tries to start his speech several hecklers are removed from the venue.

    "Boring!" the Reform leader calls out.

    And he adds it's "good preparation" for the House of Commons.

    FarageImage source, Pool
  6. Farage to speak from Westminsterpublished at 14:45 British Summer Time 5 July

    We're now going to hear from Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who is speaking alongside the party's three other newly-minted MPs.

    He's greeted by hecklers at the event, with the news conference off to a chaotic start.

    We'll bring you what he has to say and you can watch live at the top of this page.

  7. Angela Rayner arrives at Downing Streetpublished at 14:33 British Summer Time 5 July
    Breaking

    Angela Rayner has just been filmed walking up Downing Street ahead of the announcement of Sir Keir Starmer's cabinet.

    She is the first Labour MP to arrive at Downing Street today and is expected to be confirmed as deputy prime minister.

    Angela Rayner arrives at 10 Downing StreetImage source, Reuters
  8. Farage to set out next steps of 'political revolt'published at 14:31 British Summer Time 5 July

    Nigel Farage and Lee Anderson outside the pub
    Image caption,

    Nigel Farage and Lee Anderson were celebrating their wins this afternoon

    We're expecting to hear from the leader of Reform UK, Nigel Farage, shortly who will set out "the next steps for our political revolt".

    Farage has been elected as the MP for Clacton, one of four seats in the Commons Reform won. In total, over 4 million people voted for Reform UK.

    He'll be joined by fellow new Reform MPs Richard Tice, Lee Anderson and Rupert Lowe, as the party lay out their plans and respond to last night's results.

    You can watch the press conference from 14:30 BST by pressing watch live at the top of this page.

  9. Not a huge amount of money left - incoming chancellorpublished at 14:26 British Summer Time 5 July

    Faisal Islam
    Economics editor

    Rachel Reeves said she was inheriting a depleted economy from the Conservatives that would create a “challenge” for the new Labour government.

    “There’s not a huge amount of money there,” Reeves told the BBC. “I know the scale of the challenge I inherit.”

    Reeves, who will be formally appointed chancellor on Friday afternoon, having shadowed the role in opposition, said she would lean on the private sector to cover the shortfall.

    “Private-sector investment is the lifeblood of a successful economy. We need to unlock private-sector investment,” she said.

    Rachel ReevesImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    Rachel Reeves will be formally confirmed as chancellor later this afternoon

  10. In pictures: The peaceful (and speedy) transfer of powerpublished at 14:11 British Summer Time 5 July

    The handover of power in British politics is brutally fast, with just hours between Rishi Sunak resigning and Keir Starmer being invited to form a government.

    Both had private meetings with the King, were joined by their spouses to thank supporters and shared some words standing outside the iconic Number 10 doors.

    One walked out of Downing Street for the final time, while the other's time there has only just begun.

    King Charles II shaking hands with Rishi Sunak inside Downing StreetImage source, PA Media
    Image caption,

    The process began when Sunak met with King Charles to resign - traditionally the details of conversation between the monarch and prime ministers are kept secret

    Sunak and Akshata Murty thank supporters inside No 10Image source, No 10 Downing Street
    Image caption,

    Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty thanked those who had worked for him inside Downing Street, before heading outside to give his final speech

    Keir Starmer talking to King Charles inside Buckingham PalaceImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    Keir Starmer then met with the King, to be invited to form a new government in a ceremony known as the "kissing the hands" - although by all accounts no rings or digits are kissed any more as part of it

    Newly elected Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer with his wife Victoria Starmer are clapped in by staff as they enter his official London residence at No 10 Downing Street for the first timeImage source, PA Media
    Image caption,

    Starmer and his wife Victoria were also greeted by waiting staff after entering Number 10 for the first time, following his maiden speech as prime minister

  11. Sunak's constituents say he's a 'good chap' but Tories have lost trustpublished at 14:03 British Summer Time 5 July

    Jessica Lane
    BBC Look North, reporting from Northallerton

    Sheila Grant
    Image caption,

    Sheila Grant

    In Northallerton the high street has been sunny and busy today.

    The word on the street here is that Rishi Sunak done a lot for the area, especially for local farmers. He's also seen at community events.

    Sheila Grant told me "he comes to the Christmas fair which is nice, rather than someone who's just down in London".

    Doreen Hill said the former prime minister has done a "damn good job".

    Les Hutchinson
    Image caption,

    Les Hutchinson

    Les Hutchinson says he's thinks Sunak is a "good chap" but that the Conservative Party lost the trust of the nation because they've "shot themselves in the foot too many times".

    Some people here have sympathy with Reform's policies on immigration, but ultimately its local issues many are bothered about and which they think Sunak will now be able to focus on.

  12. There will be no final result todaypublished at 13:52 British Summer Time 5 July

    While Labour has won a resounding majority, there'll be no final result in the election today.

    That's because there will be a recount in the Highlands on Saturday morning in the constituency of Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire.

  13. What happened this morning?published at 13:35 British Summer Time 5 July

    James FitzGerald
    Live reporter

    Sir Keir and Victoria StarmerImage source, PA Media
    Image caption,

    Sir Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria paused for pics outside No 10

    Just tucking into lunch? Make sure to tuck into this recap, too, after a whirlwind morning of politics.

    • New Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has swapped places in 10 Downing Street with Rishi Sunak, after Labour thrashed the Conservatives at the polls
    • The transfer of power began with Sunak giving a speech in which he took responsibility for the Tories' worst electoral performance in modern times. He then went to deliver his resignation to the King
    • He was followed at Buckingham Palace by Starmer, who was officially invited by the monarch to form a new government, before greeting a crowd of supporters in Downing Street. "The work of change begins immediately," he told the nation in his debut speech
    • Labour won a bucketful of seats that rivals the all-time best it achieved under Tony Blair in 1997. With all but two constituencies now counted, it has 412 MPs
    • Tory recriminations are under way after multiple big names fell victim to the electoral rout, including former PM Liz Truss, who lost her seat less than two years after serving as prime minister
    • Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats, Reform UK and the Greens have each achieved their best-ever showings at the polls - respectively managing 71, four, and four Westminster seats. The SNP suffered a bruising night in Scotland, mustering only nine seats at the latest count, compared with 48 in 2019
  14. Analysis

    What direction will the Conservatives now take?published at 13:33 British Summer Time 5 July

    Ione Wells
    Political correspondent

    Suella Braverman and Kemi Badenoch have lost a couple of their key allies on the right of the parliamentary party. A couple of Tom Tugendhat’s former backers are gone too.

    Why do the leanings of the remaining MPs matter?

    Well, partly because this will determine how the Tory party decides to shape itself going forward. Does it decide to elect someone to the right of the party, like Badenoch, Jenrick or Braverman, to try stave off the growing influence from Reform UK who have now won several seats?

    Or does it try shift back toward the centre ground with a candidate like Tugendhat to reclaim some of the space Labour is now trying to occupy on the political spectrum?

  15. Analysis

    The battle to become the new Tory leader has already begunpublished at 13:29 British Summer Time 5 July

    Ione Wells
    Political correspondent

    Rishi Sunak has said he will stay on until everything is in place to select the next Conservative leader.

    There are a couple of Tories who have been working on shoring up support behind the scenes for quite some time - including Kemi Badenoch and Tom Tugendhat. Former contenders like Suella Braverman are expected to run, too, as well as the former Sunak ally-turned-critic Robert Jenrick.

    One interesting thing to note, though, is who the remaining Tory MPs are, and what that might mean for who gets support among the parliamentary party.

    I had a quick skim over the new intake of Tory MPs and who they backed in the first Tory leadership race of July-September 2022.

    Interestingly, the majority are Sunak-backers, with a hefty chunk of Liz Truss supporters too.

  16. What's next for Labour? Use our interactive guidepublished at 13:20 British Summer Time 5 July

    Sir Keir Starmer speaking at a major campaign event at the Royal Horticultural Halls in central London, while on the General Election campaign trail.Image source, PA Media

    Labour has won a big majority in the general election. That means it should be able to pass the new laws it wants easily. But what are those likely to be?

    During the election campaign, Labour released a manifesto - a list of pledges explaining to voters what it would do if elected.

    Here are some of Labour's top priorities:

    • Provide economic stability with clear rules on tax and spending, including no increases to existing income tax rates, National Insurance or VAT
    • Cut NHS waiting times with 40,000 more appointments a week by paying staff more to work weekends and evenings
    • Create a Border Security Command with counter-terror style powers to stop trafficking gangs and people smuggling
    • Set up Great British Energy, a publicly owned clean energy firm, to create jobs, cut bills and invest in clean energy
    • Tackle antisocial behaviour with 13,000 more police and community support officers on the beat in England and Wales
    • Recruit 6,500 more teachers and introduce free breakfast clubs at every primary school in England

    You can use our interactive guide to find out what the party said it would do on key issues that interest you in more detail.

  17. What did we just hear from the new prime minister?published at 13:07 British Summer Time 5 July

    Sir Keir Starmer has just given his first speech as prime minister. Here's a quick recap:

    • "The work of change begins immediately," he told the nation from a lectern on Downing Street, though he acknowledged this would not be as simple as "flicking a switch"
    • Citing the need for schools and affordable homes, Starmer vowed to "rebuild" the country's "infrastructure of opportunity", doing so "brick by brick"
    • He vowed a "government of service" and spoke of the need for a national "reset"
    • The new PM made sure to highlight the "challenges of an insecure world"
    • Sir Keir's debut appearance on Downing Street comes after he was officially asked by the King to form a new government. He led Labour to a landslide election win following a collapse in the Tory vote
    • He also saluted the work of his predecessor Rishi Sunak as the first British Asian PM
  18. Watch: Grinning Starmer shakes hands with supporterspublished at 13:01 British Summer Time 5 July

    As he arrived at Downing Street for his first speech as prime minister, a grinning Keir Starmer shook hands with some of his supporters.

  19. Starmer poses with wife outside No 10published at 12:54 British Summer Time 5 July

    Keir Starmer and his wife Vic wave in front of the Downing Street doorImage source, PA Media

    Sir Keir Starmer poses briefly for photos outside No 10 with his wife Victoria.

  20. 'I invite you to join this government of service'published at 12:51 British Summer Time 5 July

    Starmer in Downing StreetImage source, PA Media

    Finishing his speech as prime minister, Starmer says the four nations of the UK are "standing together again facing down as we have in the past the challenges of an insecure world".

    Starmer says his government is committed to a "calm and patient rebuilding".

    "With respect and humility, I invite you all to join this govt of service in the mission of national renewal.

    "Our work is urgent and we begin it today."

    Starmer concludes his speech by saying thank you and he turns round to greet people behind him and then walking into 10 Downing Street.