Starmer’s cabinet takes shape as Tories lick their wounds

• Sunak quits as Conservative leader; many former cabinet ministers voted out
• Two members of Labour shadow cabinet fail to make it to Commons
• Farage manages to enter parliament on his eighth attempt
• PM Shehbaz, Deputy PM Dar felicitate winning leaders

LONDON: Events unfolded in the UK at breakneck pace on Friday, the day after the general election. After the overnight scramble for results, the day began with Labour’s overwhelming 412-seat majority in the 650-member House of Commons becoming clear.

This prompted a concession speech from outgoing PM Rishi Sunak, who made a bee-line for Buckingham Palace to submit his resignation. He had already announced his intention to step down as head of the Conservative Party.

Speaking outside Downing Street for the last time, he said: “I have heard your anger, disappointment and I take responsibility for this loss.”

Shortly afterwards, Keir Starmer met with King Charles III, where he accepted the ceremonial offer to form the next government.

Enveloped in a blanket of security as he exited the palace and made his way to Downing Street, the newly minted premier promised a government of service: “The work of change begins immediately.”

New cabinet

There were few surprises as the UK cabinet began to take shape. Mr Starmer’s aide Angela Rayner got the coveted office of deputy PM, while Rachel Reeves is set to make history as the first woman to be chancellor of the exchequer.

David Lammy was made foreign secretary, Yvette Cooper was named home secretary, while the defence portfolio was handed to John Healey. Former Labour leader Ed Miliband received the energy portfolio.

One of the first Muslim women to become MPs in 2010, Shabana Mahmood, has been appointed justice secretary.

Tory winners and losers

It was an embarrassing exit for the Tory party, slumping to just 121 seats, and leaders such as former PM Liz Truss and ex-House of Commons leader Penny Mordaunt being ousted by Labour candidates.

According to Reuters, Conservatives won the fewest seats since the party was founded in 1834.

Outgoing Defence Secretary Grant Shapps became the most senior cabinet minister to lose his seat, BBC News reported, while many of his colleagues, such as veterans’ minister Johnny Mercer, education secretary Gillian Keegan, culture secretary Lucy Frazer and Mr Sunak’s chief whip Simon Hart, also failed to make it back to the house.

Senior Conservative back-bencher and Brexiteer Jacob-Rees Mogg also lost his seat. However, former home secretary Suella Braverman and her successor James Cleverly managed to avoid the same fate.

Nigel Farage, the divisive face of Reform UK, won a seat in his eighth attempt and will now enter parliament for the first time as his party claimed four seats in the lower house.

Setbacks for Labour

Jeremy Corbyn, who Keir Starmer replaced as leader of the Labour party, won as an independent, beating his Labour opponent by more than 7,000 votes. Mr Corbyn, who was drummed out of his party over allegations of anti-Semitism, is a stanch supporter of the Gaza cause.

Labour leader Jonathan Ashworth, who served as Mr Starmer’s shadow paymaster general, lost his Leicester South constituency to independent candidate Shockat Adam. The seat has a significant Muslim population and a large part of Mr Adam’s campaign focused on the situation in Gaza.

There were also some extremely close calls: New Health Secretary Wes Streeting was very close to losing to Leanne Mohamad, winning with a majority of just over 500.

In addition, a Green Party candidate defeated Thangam Debbonaire, who held the culture portfolio in Mr Starmer’s shadow cabinet.

Veteran left-wing political maverick George Galloway, who returned to the Commons in a by-election just months ago, was also beaten.

But it was a Red Letter Day for the Liberal Democrats, who became the third largest party in the Commons, securing 71 seats.

Felicitations

Congratulations for the new government poured in from all sides, but former US president Donald Trump set himself apart by celebrating the election of fellow populist Farage and neglecting to mention the new prime minister.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar on Friday felicitated Mr Starmer on his party’s victory.

PM Shehbaz, in a post on his X account, said he looked forward to working closely with the new UK government.

Published in Dawn, July 6th, 2024