Keir Starmer wasted no time. The landslide winner of the British general elections, the Labour leader, took office at 10 Downing Street, the government’s headquarters, on July 5, the day after his election victory. He expressed his eagerness to implement change and made a symbolic first announcement.
He declared an end to the previous Conservative government’s plan to deport illegal migrants to Rwanda, stating, “It was dead and buried before it even started. It was never a deterrent. I am not ready to continue with gimmicky measures.”
On the same day, the new UK Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, made his first international visit to Germany. Though it was merely a meet-and-greet with his German counterpart, Annalena Baerbock, the gesture was also highly symbolic. It signaled a desire to rebuild a calmer relationship with the European Union, which had deteriorated significantly since Brexit. Lammy emphasized the need to “reset” ties with London’s traditional allies.
Labour’s landslide victory
The Labour Party achieved a sweeping victory in the general elections July 4, securing a comfortable majority of 412 seats out of 650 in the House of Commons. Labour reclaimed many of its former strongholds and won in Scotland, where the independence movement waned.
After 14 years in power, the Conservatives suffered a historic defeat, retaining only 121 MPs. The Liberal Democrats won 72 seats, and Nigel Farage’s new anti-immigration party, Reform UK, secured five seats.
The new Parliament is set to convene for the first time on Tuesday, July 9, but the transition in the UK does not wait. King Charles III tasked the Labour leader with forming a government on Friday. The new prime minister, a 61-year-old former human rights lawyer, campaigned on a centrist platform emphasizing fiscal responsibility while pledging to reinvest in public services.
Immediately after being appointed, Keir Starmer made his first ministerial appointment. For the first time, a woman, Rachel Reeves, holds the position of Finance Minister, while the Defense Ministry goes to Labour veteran John Healey, 64, who has previous ministerial experience from the Tony Blair era.
In his first speech as Prime Minister, Starmer confirmed that his immediate mission would be to revive the economy. He stressed the need to “restore service and respect to politics, end the era of noisy performance, tread more lightly on your lives, and to unite our country.” He said politics focused on self-interest is a thing of the past, promising “national renewal and a return of politics to public service.”
Budget under strain
The new prime minister takes office amid a challenging economic situation: public sector workers have been striking for months, demanding a general pay raise. Both the health and prison systems urgently need investments. Last year, the Justice Ministry had to dip into emergency government reserves to continue operations.
Experts estimate that £30 billion ($35 billion) is needed for public services. However, the UK’s debt level is already close to 100%, making it difficult to increase the budget deficit without undermining market confidence. Starmer acknowledged that he would have to make “tough decisions” in the coming weeks.
In terms of foreign policy, Starmer affirmed that the United Kingdom would remain committed to supporting Ukraine. He had several phone conversations with foreign leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, U.S. President Joe Biden, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Starmer will make his first international appearance in Washington on July 9 for the NATO summit. The United Kingdom is also set to host a European Political Community meeting on July 18, which could showcase a change in tone towards Europe, even though Starmer has stated he does not intend to reverse Brexit.
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