Keir Starmer will be Britain's next prime minister with his Labour Party set to win a massive majority in a parliamentary election, an exit poll on Thursday (July 4) indicated, while Rishi Sunak's Conservatives are forecast to suffer historic losses. The poll showed Labour would win 410 seats in the 650-seat parliament, ending 14 years of Conservative-led government.

London

Coverage of the United Kingdom's General Election 2024.

UK General Election

The Labour Party in the United Kingdom is poised for a substantial victory in the parliamentary elections, according to an exit poll. The centre-left party, led by Keir Starmer, is projected to secure 410 out of 650 seats in Parliament, ending 14 years of Conservative-led government. This result would mark a significant shift in British politics, handing Starmer the role of Prime Minister.

Opinion polls preceding the election consistently showed Labour holding a substantial lead over the Conservative Party. Starmer's campaign focused on addressing public discontent with issues such as strained public services, declining living standards, and economic challenges. These concerns resonated with voters, contributing to Labour's significant lead.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's efforts to persuade voters of his economic progress during his 20-month tenure appear to have fallen short. The Conservatives faced additional challenges from internal party turmoil, the long-term effects of the cost-of-living crisis, and the aftermath of Brexit. Ahead of the vote, the Conservative Party shifted its focus to minimizing anticipated losses rather than expecting a win.

The right-wing Reform UK party, led by Nigel Farage, also posed a threat to Conservative support. Farage has indicated his intention to challenge Labour if they gain power. The centrist Liberal Democrats additionally aimed to draw votes away from the Conservatives, further compounding their difficulties.

In a broader context, Britain's leftward shift contrasts with rightward trends seen in other parts of Europe, including France, where the far right recently secured significant electoral gains.



Exit poll shows UK's Labour set for huge election win

And, as Big Ben strikes 10, the exit poll is predicting a Labour landslide. An early exit poll on Thursday showed Britain's opposition, Labour, heading towards a record-breaking election victory. The centre-left party's projected win will end 14 years of Conservative government and hand its leader, Keir Starmer, the keys to the Prime Minister's 10 Downing Street office on Friday morning. Opinion polls have consistently given Labour around a 20-point lead. Starmer's campaign has been built around a promise of change, tapping into discontent at the state of Britain's stretched public services, falling living standards, sluggish economy and political instability. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had sought to persuade voters that his 20-month stint in charge has set the economy on an upward path. But scars from a cost-of-living crisis, years of turmoil under his predecessors that led to five prime ministers in eight years, and Britain's Brexit vote to leave the European Union in 2016, remain. The Conservatives seemingly predicted their crushing fate in the days before the vote, turning their focus instead to damage limitation. Sunak on Monday touted his party as the only one to counter a Labour-led government. And said a vote for the right-wing Reform UK party would hamper any chance of his party forming a strong opposition. Reform has framed itself as an alternative to the Conservatives. And leader Nigel Farage has already threatened to be a thorn in Labour's side. The centrist Liberal Democrats set out to be a further drain on Conservative support. If we knock down that blue wall, I think the Tories could fall like dominoes. Britain looks to turn left as much of Europe swings right, including France, where the far right won a first round of a parliamentary election last weekend.

Russia rained missiles down on cities across Ukraine in broad daylight on Monday morning, killing at least 29 civilians and badly damaging Kyiv's main children's hospital in the deadliest air strike in months, officials said.

Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

Russian missile attack kills at least 29, Ukraine says

The NATO summit in Washington D.C. was meant to highlight American leadership and the rejuvenation of the 75-year-old defense pact. But all that was thrown into doubt amid questions of Biden's ability to hold the White House against a challenge from former president Donald Trump.

Washington

Specter of Trump looms over NATO summit

Last month was the hottest June on record, the EU's climate change monitoring service said, continuing a streak of exceptional temperatures that some scientists said puts 2024 on track to be the world's hottest recorded year.

Brussels

2024 could be world's hottest year as June breaks records

At least 28 people have died in a series of missile strikes on five Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv. The UN and international leaders have condemned what is the deadliest attack since the war began.

Russia hits five Ukrainian cities in daytime missile strike

U.S. President Joe Biden has been campaigning in the critical swing state of Pennsylvania, where he focused his attention and message on African American voters. Biden reaffirmed his intention to run for the White House.

Philadelphia

U.S. Presidential Election

Biden jokes about age on campaign trail

Boeing has accepted a plea deal on a criminal fraud charge related to two fatal crashes of its 737 Max jets. The justice department found Boeing guilty of violating a settlement, in which the company avoided criminal charges.

Boeing to plead guilty to fraud after two fatal 737 crashes

Last month was the hottest June on record, the EU's climate change monitoring service says, continuing a streak of exceptional temperatures that some scientists said puts 2024 on track to be the world's hottest recorded year.

Climate Crisis

June breaks records for being the hottest ever

Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has questioned Opposition Leader Peter Dutton's ability to lead the nation, slamming his stance on immigration and multiculturalism. It comes as John Howard backs the Coalition's nuclear energy plan.

Canberra

Turnbull slams 'thug' Dutton as unfit to lead

Tropical storm Beryl is regaining strength and expected to hit Texas as a hurricane in the coming days, bringing powerful winds, heavy rain and large storm surges.

Houston

Hurricane Beryl

Tropical storm Beryl regaining strength as it approaches Texas

An early lead in second-round election polls for France’s left-wing alliance garnered shock and relief as it appeared to be an upset over far-right rivals that led after the first round of voting.

Paris

France snap election

French voters back leftists, reject far right

France was on course for a hung parliament in Sunday's election, with a leftist alliance unexpectedly taking the top spot ahead of the far right. The major upset was set to bar Marine Le Pen's National Rally (RN) from running the government.

Macron celebrates as far-right alliance faces defeat

France votes in the second round of legislative polls called by Macron after his centrist alliance's defeat in EU elections.

Voters turn out in numbers as France casts ballots in key run-off

Polling stations opened across France on Sunday morning in a second-round vote that could see the country heading for a chaotic hung parliament or its first far-right government since World War Two.

France votes as the far-right seeks power

A Sydney house fire has resulted in the tragic deaths of three young children. Four survivors, including their mother, are receiving treatment at Westmead Hospital. Authorities suspect foul play, and the children's father is under police guard.

Lalor Park

Three children killed in Sydney house fire

At least 65 people have been killed in floods and landslides in India’s northeastern Assam State. Authorities say 2,800 villages are submerged, with over 1.6 million people affected.

Assam

Dozens killed in India flooding, landslides

Israeli police have used water cannon against antigovernment protesters in Tel Aviv, as pressure mounts on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to step down. Demonstrators are calling for new elections, and the immediate release of captives held in Gaza.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Israel-Gaza War

Israeli demonstrators launch week of protests

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said he will not continue with the previous Conservative government’s policy to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, in a move welcomed by rights advocates as long overdue.

Starmer to scrap UK's refugee deportation plan

Hamas has accepted a U.S. proposal to begin talks on releasing Israeli hostages, including soldiers and men, 16 days after the first phase of an agreement aimed at ending the Gaza war, a senior Hamas source told Reuters.

Hamas accepts U.S. proposal on talks over hostages

U.S. officials are warning that storm Beryl could regain strength and hit Texas as a category three hurricane. Beryl was downgraded to a tropical storm after hitting Mexico, leaving a trail of destruction and thousands without power.

Tulum

Hurricane Beryl heading towards Texas

U.S. President Joe Biden says last week's debate against Donald Trump 'wasn't his best performance' but vowed to still beat Trump in November's election. He made the comments at a rally in the battleground state of Wisconsin.

Madison

Biden in battleground blitz, staying 'in the race'

Parts of Australia are set for winter drenching with an entire season's worth of rain forecast over the next few days. The Bureau of Meteorology will continue to extend to parts of central Australia - before moving east.

Council of the City of Sydney

Sections of Australia facing widespread heavy rains

With his re-election campaign in crisis, U.S. President Joe Biden is hoping an interview with ABC News will convince Americans, and fellow Democrats, that he is indeed fit to run after a disastrous debate performance.

Biden fights to salvage campaign with high-stakes interview

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, amid criticism from the European Union. Putin declaring it was Kyiv, not the Kremlin that is still not willing to end the conflict.

Moscow

‘Peace mission’: Hungary’s Orban meets Putin in Russia

After meeting with King Charles, Britain’s new Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged a national ‘reset’ by bringing ‘stability and moderation’ to the United Kingdom after 14 years of often-chaotic Conservative Party rule.

Starmer promises ‘reset’ U.K. after chaotic Tory rule

Labour leader Keir Starmer has officially become the U.K.'s new prime minister with his party winning more than 400 of the 650 seats in the House of Commons, the lower house of Britain's parliament. The landslide victory ends 14 years of Conservative Party rule.

Keir Starmer officially appointed U.K.'s prime minister

U.S. President Joe Biden is hoping a televised interview will steady his imperiled reelection bid -- but a repeat of his disastrous debate performance could be his downfall. In the week since his debate against Donald Trump, 81-year-old Biden has failed to quell panic among his Democratic Party.

Biden seeks campaign reset with high-risk TV interview

Beryl has made landfall on the Yucatan Peninsula as a Category 2 hurricane about 10 kilometers northeast of Mexico's Caribbean coast resort of Tulum with maximum sustained winds of 175 km/h.

Cancún

Hurricane Beryl makes landfall in Mexico near Cancun

Britain's next prime minister, Keir Starmer, promised change early on Friday (July 5), as the Conservatives' Rishi Sunak conceded defeat, with Starmer's center-left Labour Party on course to win a huge majority in the country's parliamentary elections.

U.K.'s Starmer vows change as Labour sweeps to power

Keir Starmer is set to become the UK Prime Minister after the Labour Party's significant election victory. They secured 410 seats, marking their first government role in 27 years, while the Conservative Party suffered its worst result since 1834.

Labour party wins majority in historic UK election

People in Mexico’s popular Yucatan Peninsula are bracing for Hurricane Beryl as it roars toward them after smashing through the Caribbean and killing at least 10 people. The system has strengthened to a Category 3 storm.

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