Henry Zeffman
Chief political correspondent, reporting from Downing Street

The Labour supporters in the street are being handed Union flags, in a direct replica of Tony Blair’s arrival in No 10 in 1997.

They are also being handed the flags of Scotland and Wales.

Henry Zeffman
Chief political correspondent, reporting from Downing Street

A cavalcade of Labour supporters has lined Downing Street, ready to cheer as Sir Keir Starmer arrives.

Many have Union Jack umbrellas. As it stands, they’ll need them.

This is a heavily choreographed moment, of course. But there’s a crackle of anticipation because this is a historic moment too.

A significant moment - Sir Keir Starmer has just arrived at Buckingham Palace alongside his wife for his audience with King Charles. He will formally be invited to form a government and become PM.

View from Scotland: Glasgow turns red with Labour's recoverypublished at 11:55 British Summer Time 5 July 2024

11:55 BST 5 July 2024

Philip Sim
Scotland political correspondent

Labour’s recovery is the big story in Scotland, with the party seizing 36 seats from the SNP.

They have reclaimed old heartlands, with the whole of Glasgow turning red again.

There was a symbolic moment when they recaptured the seat of their last prime minister, Gordon Brown, at the same moment as Sir Keir Starmer was delivering his victory speech.

Labour’s bounce was aided by a collapse in the vote share of both the SNP and the Conservatives.

SNP figures including Joanna Cherry were ousted, although Westminster leader Stephen Flynn held on - to be left pondering his party’s worst reversal of the last decade.

View from NI: Sinn Féin becomes largest Westminster partypublished at 11:53 British Summer Time 5 July 2024

11:53 BST 5 July 2024

Chris Page
Ireland correspondent

It’s been a night of shocks, splits and shifts in Northern Ireland.

For the first time, an Irish nationalist party has topped the table of MPs. Sinn Féin held onto seven seats - increasing its vote share by 4%.

But for the Democratic Unionist Party, the results were hugely disappointing – verging on disastrous.

Its safest seat was taken by its most vociferous critic.

North Antrim had only ever been held by politicians called Ian Paisley – the DUP founder, and then his son. But after 54 years, the dynasty was ended by Jim Allister of the Traditional Unionist Voice.

The DUP lost three seats and held five, with a 9% drop in its share. Not for the first time, it’s blaming the outcome on divisions in unionism.

View from Wales: Labour wins big - despite drop in vote sharepublished at 11:50 British Summer Time 5 July 2024

11:50 BST 5 July 2024

Gareth Lewis
BBC Wales political editor

What a story in Wales given what happened five years ago.

Labour has won big and the Conservatives have been wiped out.

But beneath that are so many subplots. Labour has achieved it despite a significant drop in their share of the vote, and the lowest raw number of votes since the 1930s.

It’s one of the oddities of the first-past-the-post system that you can win by trying to concentrate votes exactly where you need them.

That relative lack of enthusiasm from voters is already causing some concern, jubilant mood notwithstanding.

One of the Labour campaign mantras has been that Wales will benefit from two Labour governments working together. Voters will want to see that in action. Quickly.

James FitzGerald
Live reporter

Image source, Reuters

It's not even lunchtime and already the day's been a long one for those of us keenly following the election news. Let's briefly look back at a historic Friday morning:

Overnight

• It quickly became clear after voting ended that Sir Keir Starmer's Labour was heading for a landslide victory, with the exit poll pointing to a massive loss of Conservative seats
• With all but two Parliamentary constituencies now declared, Labour has won 412 seats - a result that's comparable to Tony Blair's 1997 triumph
• Former PM Liz Truss was among the Tory heavyweights to lose their seats in the Conservatives' worst electoral performance for generations
• Meanwhile, the Lib Dems are celebrating their best result of the modern era. Reform UK and the Greens have both won four seats each - propelling their respective leaders into the Commons

This morning

• Rishi Sunak has been to Buckingham Palace to formally tell the King that he's resigning as PM
• Speaking outside Downing Street a short time ago, he confirmed that he would also step down as Conservative Party leader, though not immediately, and paid tribute to Starmer
• Earlier, John Swinney confirmed he would stay on as SNP leader - having only started in the role in May - after the party's drubbing in Scotland

Coming up

• It's all change at Downing Street again, with Starmer set to become the country's fourth PM in less than two years
• After his own meeting with the King at the palace, he is expected to address the nation at about 12:20
• Starmer is also expected to appoint a new cabinet. He has two gaps to fill after a couple of his shadow cabinet were defeated, one of whom, Jonathan Ashworth, was among the surprise defeats

Image source, Reuters

Sean Coughlan
BBC News royal correspondent

Rishi Sunak has left the building. Or at least the Palace. His car left the front gates and sped away, past what has become quite a crowd of curious tourists.

And we've had official confirmation from Buckingham Palace that the former PM has now tendered his resignation, which the King "was graciously pleased to accept". That's the last official full stop on his time in office.

A moment ago we saw Rishi Sunak leave Buckingham Palace.

Now the palace has confirmed Sunak's resignation has been accepted by the King.

In a statement, the palace said: "The right honourable Rishi Sunak MP had an audience of the King this morning and tendered his resignation as prime minister and first lord of the Treasury, which his majesty was graciously pleased to accept."

Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty have left Buckingham Palace.

He leaves the palace gates now as a former prime minister after resigning during an audience with the King.

Sean Coughlan
Royal correspondent, reporting from Buckingham Palace

The intricate constitutional choreography of a new administration is taking place inside the ornate surroundings of Buckingham Palace.

It's all carefully planned as Rishi Sunak meets the King and formally tenders his resignation as prime minister. He arrived in office, he leaves without one.

After the weeks of campaigning it's all over.

When the short meeting with the King is finished, we're told: "Mr Sunak and Mrs Murty will depart privately."

Sean Coughlan
BBC News royal correspondent

A short while ago, the King went inside the front gates of Buckingham Palace.

Tourists who seemed disappointed there's no Changing of the Guard this morning seem delighted to see him at least.

There's a kind of journalistic sleight of hand that says crowds "cheer" at such moments. They don't these days. They all hold up their phones and take pictures.

James FitzGerald
Live reporter

Image source, PA Media

Rishi Sunak has just addressed the nation outside 10 Downing Street, as part of a transfer of power that will see Sir Keir Starmer become the country's new prime minister after leading Labour to a landslide election win.

In a short speech delivered in front of a waiting press pack, he:

• Confirmed that he would resign as Conservative leader, though only when arrangements were in place to choose his successor. He has now travelled to meet the King to formally step down as PM
• He apologised to the country after the Tories' worst electoral performance in modern times. "I take responsibility for this loss," he said
• Sunak touted the achievements of the Conservatives during 14 years of governance, saying the UK was "more prosperous, fairer and resilient than in 2010"
• The outgoing PM also paid tribute to his rival Sir Keir Starmer, who will soon take his place in Downing Street, saying he was a "decent, public-spirited man". He said Starmer's successes would be shared by the country

Image source, PA

Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty have arrived at Buckingham Palace.

Sunak is having an audience with the King and will tender his resignation to the monarch.

Sean Coughlan
Royal correspondent

Image source, PA Media

Politics can be a tough business and we’ll see the ceremonial version of the handover of power at Buckingham Palace this morning. It’s in one door and then out the other.

The leader of the losing party, Rishi Sunak, arrives first at the palace where he'll be met by the King’s private secretary, Sir Clive Alderton, and then brought to meet the King.

It must be like a very upmarket exit interview.

Then the mood will switch to the arrival of the election winner. Sir Keir Starmer, who had been conveniently placed next to Sir Clive at a state banquet last week, will come to the palace and will be ushered in to meet the King.

Starmer and the King will be left alone for what used to be called "kissing hands" and is now a handshake.

The King will invite Sir Keir to form a government, photographs of the historic moment will be taken and the Labour leader will then sweep out of the palace gates to make the triumphal trip to Downing Street.

Image source, PA

Finally, Rishi Sunak describes the UK as the best country in the world.

He promptly gets in a car to drive away from Downing Street.

Sunak says "one of the most remarkable things" about the UK is "how unremarkable" it is that he became PM within just two generations of his grandparents arriving in the UK.

Sunak goes on to thank his colleagues and expresses gratitude to his wife and daughters.

"I can never thank them enough for the sacrifices they have made so that I might serve my country."

Image source, Getty Images

Sunak pays tribute to his rival Sir Keir Starmer, whose successes he says will be shared by the country.

He says they have stood for election as adversaries, but describes the Labour leader as a "decent public-spirited man who I respect".

"He and his family deserve the very best of our understanding as they make the huge transition to their new lives behind this door, and as he grapples with this most demanding of jobs in an increasingly unstable world."