New UK Prime Minister: Rishi Sunak Congratulates Successor But Election Winner Becomes PM Only When King Charles III Declares It

In the UK, Labour is swept to power: with more than half of the 650 seats claimed, Keir Starmer will become the new Prime Minister as the Labour Party secures a majority. Rishi Sunak congratulated his successor. “We’ve done it,” says Starmer.

The Labour Party won the British general election, coming to power for the first time in 14 years. But Labour leader Keir Starmer will not actually become prime minister until an elaborate ceremony on Friday, during which King Charles III will formally ask him to form a new government.

Like Blair, who changed the party to “New Labour” in the 1990s, Starmer, 61, led Labour to victory over Rishi Sunak’s Conservative Party in Thursday’s election after dragging the party to the political middle.

The leaders of Ukraine, Canada, Australia and New Zealand have congratulated Labour Party leader Keir Starmer on his election victory.

In his congratulatory message, the President of Ukraine stressed that Ukraine and the United Kingdom have been and will remain reliable allies in everything.

“We will continue to defend and promote our common values of life, liberty and a rules-based international order. I wish the new government every success both in domestic affairs and in strengthening the UK’s leadership on the world stage. I look forward to working closely to strengthen the Ukrainian-British partnership and restore international peace and security,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau congratulated Stamper on his historic election victory and added that “there is much work to be done to build a more progressive, fairer future for people on both sides of the Atlantic”.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a post on social media on X that he looked forward to “working constructively” with the new British government.

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon also took to X to congratulate Starmer, writing: “New Zealand and the UK are great friends and can do so much more together.”

Luxon thanked Prime Minister Rishi Sunak “for your service to your nation and your friendship with New Zealand”.