Boris warns Tories not to merge with Reform

Thank you for following our live coverage of the first day of Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour government. Here are the key developments:

• Sir Keir became Britain’s new Prime Minister and pledged that his government would be one of “service”
• He announced his Cabinet, with Rachel Reeves appointed Chancellor, Angela Rayner Deputy Prime Minister, David Lammy Foreign Secretary and Yvette Cooper Home Secretary
• There were three surprises as a KC was appointed Attorney General over Emily Thornberry, Sir Patrick Vallance became a science minister and James Timpson, the chief executive of the eponymous high street chain, was named prisons minister
• Sir Keir killed off the Rwanda deportation plan on the first day of his premiership
• Wes Streeting, the new Health Secretary, declared that the NHS is broken
• Rishi Sunak “just didn’t have the instinct” for campaigning, his allies admitted
• It emerged that Jeremy Hunt will not stand for the Tory leadership despite unexpectedly winning his seat
• Nigel Farage launched a campaign against first-past-the-post as he was heckled several times at a Reform UK press conference in London
• His party won a fifth MP as James McMurdock ousted Tory Stephen Metcalfe in South Basildon and East Thurrock

Boris Johnson has warned the Conservatives not to merge with Reform UK in an attempt to revive their electoral fortunes.

The former Tory leader said Nigel Farage had played a “significant part” in his party’s collapse but that the Reform leader is the “cheroot-puffing Pied Piper of Clacton”.

Writing post-election advice to the Tories in his Daily Mail column, Mr Johnson said: “I say to my fellow Conservatives, we are the oldest, most successful political party in British history.

“We are capable of endless regeneration. We don’t need to try to absorb other parties, to try to acquire their vitality like a transfusion of monkey glands.”

Mr Johnson went on to encourage the Tories to return to “the big themes” that won a “giant coalition” of support for the party at the 2019 election.

David Lammy has approved £500,000 of aid for Caribbean countries affected by Hurricane Beryl in one of his first acts as Foreign Secretary.

The package includes 800 emergency shelter kits and 1,620 buckets to collect and store water.

“Our thoughts remain with those who have lost loved ones, their homes or have been left without power,” Mr Lammy said.

“This funding will help support disaster recovery efforts, as part of a swift and coordinated response in the region.

“That such a storm has developed so early in the season shows that we are facing a climate emergency and must act now.”

Lord Cameron has congratulated David Lammy upon his appointment as Foreign Secretary.

“At a time when the world is more dangerous, more volatile, more confrontational, than most of us have ever known, your new role is more important than ever,” the former Prime Minister wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

“The Foreign Office is full of great talent and experience that exemplifies the very best of the British civil service.

“I know they will serve you as well as they have served me. I will be willing you on as you get to work, standing up for Britain’s interests, and wish you well.”

A new Reform UK MP has vowed to donate his salary to charity.

Rupert Lowe, who was elected in Great Yarmouth, said his “entire net MP salary” would go to charities and worthy causes in the Norfolk seaside town.

“Each month, a different one will be chosen and I will post proof for every single one,” he said.

The former Southampton FC chairman and banker, 66, previously represented Ukip as an MEP.

Sir Keir Starmer has spoken to John Swinney, the First Minister.

A spokesman for the Scottish Government said: “The First Minister spoke with the Prime Minister by telephone this evening and congratulated him on his appointment.

“He committed to working collaboratively and co-operatively with the UK Government on areas of mutual interest.

“The First Minister has outlined his priorities in government and believes there are many ways in which the two governments can work together to deliver progress on them for the benefit of people in Scotland.”

Sir Keir also spoke to Vaughan Gething, the Welsh First Minister, Michelle O’Neill, the First Minister of Northern Ireland, and Emma Little-Pengelly, the Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland.

Wes Streeting has announced that talks with junior doctors will start next week.

The British Medical Association’s junior doctors committee has threatened to strike again in support of its demands for a 35 per cent pay rise.

The SNP candidate has conceded defeat in the final constituency still to declare.

Drew Hendry wrote to his supporters that he expected Angus Macdonald, the Liberal Democrat candidate, to win in Inverness, Skye and Ross-shire.

Discrepancies in voting tallies triggered a technical recount which is due to begin at 10.30am on Saturday.

If confirmed by the recount, Mr Hendry’s defeat will leave the SNP on just nine Westminster seats and put the Lib Dems on 72.

Boris Johnson has said he should not have been ousted by the Conservatives in 2022.

“Last thought – when we get back in, don’t be too hasty to get rid of successful election-winning leaders,” the former Prime Minister wrote in his Daily Mail column.

“As I never tire of telling people, some polls put us only two or three points behind, in the days before I was forced to resign in what was really a media-driven hoo-ha.

“As for Reform, it was regularly polling zero. Only pointing it out...”

Jeremy Hunt will not run to become the next Conservative leader despite unexpectedly retaining his seat in the general election, reports Political Editor Ben Riley-Smith.

A source close to Mr Hunt told The Telegraph on Friday night that he would not run for leader. 

The source, in touch with Mr Hunt since his election win in Godalming and Ash, said: “He definitely won’t stand. No prospect at all.”

Lord Cameron is applying pressure to Rishi Sunak to delay the Conservative leadership contest, George Osborne has said.

Speaking on his Political Currency podcast, the former Chancellor said: “There’s a big effort on, which David Cameron is part of, to get Rishi Sunak to just delay the moment when the new leader is chosen.

“The contest can start, but it doesn’t have to conclude. It’s very important, because these people, these candidates, they’re all government ministers who’ve now been kicked out of office. None of them have been in opposition. None of them have proved their mettle.”

He added: “Above all, an opposition politician, an opposition leader, needs to be a communicator, and we don’t want a dud who may have excited some faction of the Right in Government or said the right thing on this particular bit of Brexit policy two years ago in the Cabinet.

“We want to know if these people can perform.”

Sir Keir Starmer and Joe Biden discussed foreign policy on Friday afternoon in their first phone call since the Labour leader became Prime Minister.

“The President congratulated the Prime Minister on his election victory and the Prime Minister thanked him for his kind words,” a Downing Street spokesman said.

“The leaders discussed their shared commitment to the special relationship between the UK and US, and their aligned ambitions for greater economic growth.

“Discussing geopolitical challenges, the leaders reiterated their steadfast commitment to Ukraine and the Prime Minister underscored that the UK’s support for Ukraine was unwavering.

“The Prime Minister said he looked forward to working side by side across the breadth of the relationship, including the AUKUS partnership and ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific. The leaders reflected on their shared commitment to protecting the gains of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement.

“The Prime Minister and President looked forward to seeing each other at the NATO Summit in Washington next week.”

James Timpson, the chief executive of Timpson, has been ennobled and will become minister of state for prisons, parole and probation.

Timpson is a shoe repair and key cutting high street chain which hires ex-offenders.

Sir Patrick Vallance has been appointed as the minister of state for science.

He served as the Government’s chief scientific adviser from 2018 to 2023.

Boris Johnson and Liz Truss should be blamed for the Conservatives’ election rout, not Rishi Sunak, Lord Patten has said.

“This is the oldest party in democratic history and it’s now been reduced to rubble by awful fractures and lousy policies and a collapse of any sense of values,” he told Sky News.

“It hasn’t been ruined by Rishi Sunak. It’s been ruined by people like Boris Johnson and Liz Truss and others.”

The former governor of Hong Kong added: “It is really important that the Conservative Party recognises that its first job is to be the loyal opposition.

“That means opposing when it thinks things are fundamentally wrong but recognising as patriots that it is in our interest that Starmer should make a success of clearing things up.”

Sir Keir Starmer has appointed a KC as Attorney General instead of Emily Thornberry in Labour’s Cabinet.

Richard Hermer KC, a human rights lawyer, will be handed a life peerage to take up the position.

Ms Thornberry had served as Sir Keir’s shadow attorney general since November 2021 and was expected to take up the portfolio in the Labour Government.

But the senior Labour politician was removed in a surprise move by the new Prime Minister.

The decision has echoes of Sir Tony Blair, who made his former pupillage master Derry Irvine Lord Chancellor in 1997.

Joe Biden has congratulated Sir Keir Starmer for becoming Prime Minister.

The US President is facing pressure to step down as the Democrat presidential nominee due to concerns about his age.

“Congratulations to Prime Minister Keir Starmer on becoming Prime Minister of the United Kingdom,” Mr Biden wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

“I look forward to our shared work in support of freedom and democracy around the world, and to further strengthening the special relationship between our two countries.”

Sir Keir Starmer has made a further two Cabinet appointments.

Darren Jones will become the Chief Secretary to the Treasury and Sir Alan Campbell is to be the Government’s chief whip.

Wes Streeting has told civil servants in the department of health that “from today, the policy of this department is that the NHS is broken” and that he will save it.

“From today, the policy of this department is that the NHS is broken,” Mr Streeting said in one of his first acts as Health Secretary.

“That is the experience of patients who are not receiving the care they deserve, and of the staff working in the NHS who can see that – despite giving their best – this is not good enough.

“When I was diagnosed with kidney cancer, the NHS saved my life. Today, I can begin to repay that debt, by saving our NHS.”

Labour will deliver the “best life chances for all children”, Bridget Phillipson has promised.

The new Education Secretary wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “I am honoured to have been asked to serve as Secretary of State for Education.

“We pledged change and we will deliver the most crucial changes of all: High and rising standards, more opportunity, the best life chances for all children.

“That work starts now.”

Baroness Smith of Basildon has been named as the new Leader of the House of Lords.

Lucy Powell has been appointed as Leader of the House of Commons.

Buckingham Palace has released footage of the King greeting Sir Keir Starmer this morning as the Labour leader was asked to form a Government.

“You must be utterly exhausted and nearly on your knees by now,” the King said. “It was quite a gruelling campaign by the sound of things.”

Sir Keir replied: “Not much sleep.”

The King then said: “Anyway, you’re here.”

Sir Keir then said: “It’s a very quick changeover.”

The King replied: “I know, to say the least, and having to get to grips with everything straightaway must be quite exhausting.”

“Yes,” Sir Keir replied.

Nigel Farage has told the fifth Reform UK MP “go on my son!” after he defeated Labour by 98 votes in Basildon South and East Thurrock.

“Our candidate James McMurdock was a paper candidate, drafted in at the last minute, former city boy, and he was absolutely neck and neck with Labour,” Mr Farage said in a video posted on X, formerly Twitter.

“So I rang him up and said ‘Look, give me the name of your agent, so I can find out what’s happening because they were on the third recount’ – he said ‘I haven’t got an agent. I’m my own agent.’

“I said, ‘well, who’s in the hall watching the vote count? And he said ‘my mum and dad’ – and he’s won. He’s an MP – go on my son!”

A further three Cabinet appointments have now been confirmed.

Hilary Benn has been named the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Ian Murray will be Secretary of State for Scotland and Jo Stevens is becoming Secretary of State for Wales.

All three senior Labour politicians held those portfolios in opposition in Sir Keir Starmer’s shadow cabinet.

David Lammy has said he wants to “reset” Britain’s relationship with the European Union.

The new Foreign Secretary told the BBC: “I want to see a reset on Europe, a reset on our relationships with the global south, and a reset on climate.

“And I also want to see some gear shifts. Gear shifts on European security and on global security, given all the problems that we’re seeing in the Middle East.

“But also I want to centre our foreign policy on British growth.”

Steve Reed has been appointed by Sir Keir Starmer as the new Environment Secretary.

Lisa Nandy has been promoted to become Culture Secretary in Sir Keir Starmer’s Cabinet.

Labour’s former shadow minister for international development has been moved to take over the portfolio of Thangam Debbonaire, who lost her seat in Bristol Central to Green Party leader Carla Denyer.

The outgoing armed forces minister has congratulated John Healey after he was appointed as Labour’s Defence Secretary.

Writing on X, formerly Twitter, James Heappey said: “Great to see John Healey heading to the Ministry of Defence.

“He’ll have a massive head start having shadowed the department so successfully for so long. Wishing him every success.”

Reform UK has won a fifth seat in Parliament by just 98 votes.

James McMurdock was announced as the winner in South Basildon and East Thurrock following a recount.

Former MP Stephen Metcalfe was defending a Conservative majority of 19,922.

Rachel Reeves has told the Treasury that “there is no time to waste” in her first speech to civil servants since becoming Chancellor.

“I’ve been an MP for fourteen years now,” she said. “And if I am honest, I’ve spent a lot of those years frustrated. Talking, not doing. Responding to constituents’ problems, but always in the knowledge that fixing the root causes of those problems are out of reach.

“So as far as I am concerned, there is no time to waste.

“I will judge my time in office a success if I know that, at the end of it, there are working-class kids from ordinary backgrounds living richer lives, their horizons expanded, their potential realised; If we are leaving to the next generation a country that is more prosperous, with more good jobs paying decent wages, and better able to thrive in an uncertain future.”

Rachel Reeves has given a pep talk to civil servants at the Treasury after becoming Britain’s first female Chancellor.

Excerpts from the speech seen by The Telegraph show Ms Reeves said: “It is also a huge privilege to be the first woman to serve in this role.

“To every young girl and women watching this: Let today show you that there should be no ceiling on your ambitions. Your hopes. Your dreams.

“But there is a deeper responsibility too: To women whose work is too often undervalued. Who have borne the brunt of inequality. And whose lives and interests are too often excluded from economic policymaking. Together, we are going to change that.”

David Lammy has said he wants an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza.

“I will do all I can diplomatically to support Joe Biden in bringing about that ceasefire,” he said from the Foreign Office.

He added:  “All of us recognise the agony of communities who have seen the scenes coming out of Israel and Gaza. But the job now is to get to work with tireless diplomacy to support an immediate ceasefire and move towards getting those hostages out.”

Asked by reporters if he would be willing to work with Donald Trump should he be re-elected, Mr Lammy said: “I will work closely with whoever is in the White House in the end. The US is a great democracy.

“In democracies, of course, there is debate and discussion and difference.

“We’ve seen that over the last six weeks in our own country, but the job of international security, the key partnership role that the UK and US play is hugely important.”

Lisa Nandy is in line to be the next Culture Secretary, Labour sources say.

One said she was “pretty locked in” to take the role, which had been earmarked for Thangam Debbonaire before she lost her seat to the Greens in Bristol.

In opposition, Ms Nandy had been shadow international development secretary.

Four years ago, she blamed the Tories under Boris Johnson for fostering an “anti-media and anti-BBC feeling” on social media by threatening to scrap the licence fee.

Michael Gove has congratulated Angela Rayner after she succeeded him as levelling up secretary.

The senior Tory, who did not stand for re-election, wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “Congratulations to Angela Rayner on taking over such a wonderful department with a truly great team of civil servants – wishing her all the best on levelling up.”

Four more new Cabinet ministers have been announced.

Liz Kendall has been appointed the secretary of state for work and pensions, and Jonathan Reynolds is the new business secretary.

Peter Kyle has been named science secretary and Louise Haigh is transport secretary.

Yvette Cooper has said Labour must secure Britain’s borders after being appointed Home Secretary.

Speaking outside the Home Office with permanent secretary Matthew Rycroft watching on, Ms Cooper said: “It’s a real honour to be asked by Keir Starmer to serve as the new Home Secretary.

“The first duty of any Government is to keep our country safe, to keep our communities safe and to keep our borders secure.”

She added: “This means trying to get neighbourhood police back on our streets and also setting up the new border security command to go after the criminal boat gangs.

“We know there are a lot of challenges ahead. After 14 years there is some difficult legacy we will inherit. This will mean hard graft and not gimmicks.”

Steve Reed, the shadow environment secretary, has walked up Downing Street and into No 10.

Hilary Benn, the son of Tony Benn and former environment secretary, and Alan Campbell, the chief whip, are the latest to walk into No 10.

David Lammy has said that Britain will “navigate” the world’s “huge challenges” during his time in office as Foreign Secretary.

“It is the honour of my life to be appointed Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs,” Mr Lammy wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

“The world faces huge challenges, but we will navigate them with the UK’s enormous strengths.

“We will reconnect Britain for our security and prosperity at home.”

The appointments of Wes Streeting, Bridget Phillipson and Ed Miliband have been confirmed.

Mr Streeting is health secretary, Ms Phillipson is education secretary and Mr Miliband is net zero secretary.

Darren Jones, the shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, has entered No 10.

It has been confirmed that Shabana Mahmood is the new justice secretary.

Benjamin Netanyahu has sent his “warm congratulations” to Sir Keir Starmer on becoming Prime Minister.

Israel’s prime minister wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “On behalf of the State of Israel, I extend my warm congratulations to Sir Keir Starmer Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

“I am confident that we will continue working together to strengthen the historic friendship between the UK and Israel and to advance the twin goals of security and peace.

“I also express my gratitude to Rishi Sunak for his friendship and support over the years.”

The latest arrivals at Downing Street are Jo Stevens, the shadow Wales secretary, and Baroness Smith of Basildon, the Labour leader in the House of Lords.

Rachel Reeves has said it is the “honour of my life” to be appointed as Chancellor.

“It is the honour of my life to have been appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer,” she said.

“I know what responsibility it brings, and I am ready to deliver the change our economy needs to make working people in all parts of the country better off.

“It comes with a historic responsibility as the first woman to be appointed Chancellor.

“To every young girl and woman reading this, let today show that there should be no limits on your ambitions.”

John Healey has been appointed defence secretary by Sir Keir Starmer.

Yvette Cooper has been appointed as the Home Secretary.

David Lammy has been appointed by Sir Keir Starmer as the Labour’s Government’s Foreign Secretary.

There had been speculation that Mr Lammy would not be given the role, having served as shadow foreign secretary since November 2021.

Pat McFadden, who ran Labour’s election campaign, has been appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

Lucy Powell, the shadow leader of the Commons, and Liz Kendall, the women and equalities secretary, have now arrived.

Lisa Nandy, Ian Murray and Louise Haigh have now arrived at No 10.

Ed Miliband, the shadow net zero secretary, has arrived at No 10.

The former Labour leader said it was “a fantastic day” as he approached.

Rachel Reeves has been confirmed as the new Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Angela Rayner has now been formally appointed as Deputy Prime Minister and housing secretary.

Anneliese Dodds and Jonathan Reynolds have become the 11th and 12th Labour politicians to arrive at Downing Street.

Reform MPs Lee Anderson, for Ashfield, and Rupert Lowe, for Great Yarmouth have addressed the crowd and thanked them for their support. 

Mr Lowe also praised Mr Farage for his campaigning success.

Mr Anderson went on to say that Sir Keir Starmer’s Government “absolutely scares me to death”.

“I’m going to be sat on the green benches next week looking at them and thinking what has our country come to,” he said.

Yvette Cooper, the shadow home secretary, has arrived at Downing Street.

Nigel Farage has said Reform UK’s focus will now be on going “after Labour votes”, having finished second behind Sir Keir Starmer’s party across much of the Red Wall.

The new MP for Clacton told a central London press conference: “Old Labour was very, very patriotic. It believed in the country. It believed in its people. New Labour far less so.

“And the journey that Lee Anderson has been on is a journey that at least a couple of million people have been on, and it’ll be many, many more by the time we’re finished, because no doubt, our priority now is to go after Labour votes. That is what we’re going to be doing.”

Mr Farage added that he would “professionalise” Reform in the wake of a wave of racism allegations against candidates.

Above all what we’re going to do from today is we’re going to professionalise the party, we’re going to democratise the party and those few bad apples that have crept in will be gone, will be long gone, and we will never have any of their type back in our organisation,” he said.

Bridget Phillipson, the shadow education secretary, has become the ninth Labour shadow frontbencher to arrive at No 10.

Peter Kyle, the shadow science secretary, is the newest Labour politician to arrive at Downing Street.

Richard Tice, the new Reform MP for Boston and Skegness, has now given a speech at the press conference, telling supporters: “We are about telling the truth.”

He said: “I will stand up for you. I will represent you in Parliament and in your constituency. And we will make a difference, we will change politics for good.”

David Lammy, the shadow foreign secretary, is the latest Labour politician to enter Downing Street.

Wes Streeting has now entered Downing Street, shortly after John Healey did so.

Shabana Mahmood, the shadow justice secretary, and John Healey, the shadow defence secretary, have now both arrived at Downing Street for what appear to be fast-paced Cabinet appointments.

Rachel Reeves is walking towards No 10 and is expected to be appointed Chancellor.

The Reform UK press conference has been interrupted by seven protestors, accusing him of racism and bringing “division” to politics, reports Genevieve Holl-Allen.

Four men and three women rose to shout at Nigel Farage, the first shouting: “Nigel, you’re a racist, you’re a liar”.

Mr Farage said: “We’ll find out later if they were actors” 

A supporter in the room said: “It means you’re doing something right, Nigel”.

All the protestors were escorted out, while Mr Farage hit back with his own remarks.

Reform UK supporters were sent an email inviting them to turn up at the event in central London this afternoon, which was heavily oversubscribed and left people waiting outside.

Labour’s national campaign chief Pat McFadden has arrived in Downing Street as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer appoints his new Cabinet.

He did not give any comment to reporters as he entered No 10, only shrugging his shoulders in response to questions from the media.

Nigel Farage’s speech has been interrupted by seven separate hecklers who have now been escorted out.

“We haven’t organised this very well, have we,” Mr Farage said as he hit back at them, telling one that “you’re going to have a stroke”.

He added: “This is good practice for the House of Commons, isn’t it?”

Angela Rayner is expected to be confirmed as Deputy Prime Minister with special responsibility for housing.

She was seen walking down Downing Street this afternoon for a meeting with the Prime Minister.

The forthright MP for Ashton under Lyne,  who faced intense scrutiny over her tax affairs during the election campaign, was elected deputy leader of the Labour Party at the same time as Sir Keir Starmer was elected to be leader in early 2020.

Ms Rayner’s elected position as deputy leader means she is the only person Sir Keir cannot sack, although he can control the size of the empire she is given.

She is expected to effectively be Housing Secretary, building on Labour’s pledge to construct homes up and down the country.

The Labour leader is expected to appoint most of the major figures in his shadow cabinet to the real Cabinet.

The new House of Commons will have the highest ever proportion of MPs educated at comprehensive schools, the Sutton Trust has found.

The social mobility charity said 63 per cent of the MPs elected on Thursday were educated at comprehensives, higher than the 54 per cent of those elected in 2019

In Britain as a whole, 88 per cent of people went to comprehensives.

Nigel Farage is expected to make a post-election speech in central London in 10 minutes.

Follow the speech on our Reform UK live blog here.

Tim Sigsworth here, taking over from my colleague Dominic Penna. I’ll be with you until late tonight guiding you through Sir Keir Starmer’s first day as Prime Minister.

The newly re-elected Tory MP for Witham, who is also a former home secretary, was back in her patch today:

Elected to Parliament at the eighth time of trying, Nigel Farage, the Reform leader and the new MP for Clacton, will be giving a press conference in just over half an hour’s time.

“I will address supporters and the media at 2.30pm this afternoon on the next steps for our political revolt,” Mr Farage wrote on X.

The Conservatives won 24 per cent of the vote at last night’s general election, no higher than the final polls under Liz Truss.

It was hoped Rishi Sunak would preside over a recovery of the Tories’ electoral fortunes in the wake of Ms Truss’s short-lived premiership, which saw the party plummet to then-historic lows.

But after a brief recovery, the former prime minister ended up squeezed by a surge in support for Reform as well as the Liberal Democrats.

On October 25, 2022, Ms Truss’s final day in office, Politico’s poll of polls had Labour at 51 per cent, the Tories 24 per cent, the Liberal Democrats nine per cent and Reform five per cent.

At yesterday’s election Labour won 34 per cent of the popular vote, the Tories 24 per cent, the Liberal Democrats 12 per cent and Reform 14 per cent.

Sir Keir Starmer will need to appoint a new Culture Secretary after Thangam Debbonaire was ousted in Bristol Central.

Ms Debbonaire had served as Sir Keir’s shadow culture secretary and was widely expected to take up the position in a Labour government.

Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer beat the frontbencher in one of the most Left-wing and liberal constituencies in the UK.

One year from now, our new Labour government may be finding it as hard as the outgoing Conservatives to govern effectively, despite its substantial mandate, writes Simon Heffer.

During the campaign the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) accused both main parties of ignoring reality, contending that “spending on many public services will likely need to be cut over the next five years if government debt is not to ratchet ever upwards or unless taxes are increased further.”

The Tories’ defeat was partly caused by their ineffectuality over illegal migration. Labour too may find this impossible to handle without leaving the European Court of Human Rights, which would outrage its supporters. 

Here are the principal problems likely to sour its staggering success from day one

Sir Keir Starmer concluded: “You have given us a clear mandate and we will use it to deliver change, to restore service and respect to politics, end the era of noisy performance, tread more lightly on your lives and unite our country.

“Four nations standing together again, facing down as we have so often in our past the challenges of an insecure world, committed to a calm and patient rebuilding. So, with respect and humility, I invite you all to join this government of service in the mission of national renewal. Our work is urgent and we begin it today. Thank you very much.”

Sir Keir Starmer continued: “Politics can be a force for good, we will show that, we’ve changed the Labour Party, returned it to service and that is how we will govern. Country first, party second.

“Yet if I’m honest, service is merely a precondition of hope. And it surely clearly to everyone that our country needs a bigger reset, a rediscovery of who we are. Because no matter how fierce the storms of history, one of the great strengths of our nation has always been our ability to navigate a way to calmer waters. And yet this depends on politicians, particularly those who stand for stability and moderation, as I do, recognising when we must change course.

“For too long now we’ve turned a blind eye as millions slid into greater insecurity - nurses, builders, drivers, carers, people doing the right thing, working harder every day, recognised at moments like this before yet as soon as the cameras stopped rolling, their lives are ignored. I want to say very clearly to those people, not this time. Changing a country’s not like flicking a switch, the world is now a more volatile place. This will take a while.

“But have no doubt that the work of change begins immediately. Have no doubt that we will rebuild Britain with wealth created in every community, our NHS back on its feet facing the future, secure borders, safer streets, everyone treated with dignity and respect at work, the opportunity of clean British power cutting your energy bills for good. And brick-by-brick we will rebuild the infrastructure of opportunity, the world-class schools and colleges, the affordable homes that I know are the ingredients of hope for working people, the security that working-class families like mine can build their lives around.

“Because if I asked you now if you believe that Britain will be better for your children, I know too many of you would say no. And so my government will fight every day until you believe again. From now on you have a government unburdened by doctrine, guided only by the determination to serve your interests, to defy quietly those who have written our country off.”

Sir Keir Starmer told the nation: “Good afternoon. I have just returned from Buckingham Palace where I accepted an invitation from His Majesty the King to form the next Government of this great nation.

“I want to thank the outgoing prime minister Rishi Sunak. His achievement as the first British Asian prime minister as our country, the extra effort that that will have required, should not be underestimated by anyone and we pay tribute to that today. And we also recognise the dedication and hard work he brought to his leadership.

“But now our country has voted decisively for change, for national renewal, and a return of politics to public service. When the gap between the sacrifices made by people and the service they receive from politicians grows this big, it leads to a weariness in the heart of a nation, a draining away of the hope, the spirit, the belief in a better future, that we need to move forward together.

“Now, this wound, this lack of trust can only be healed by actions, not words. I know that. But we can make a start today with the simple acknowledgement that public service is a privilege and that your Government should treat every person in this country with respect. If you voted Labour yesterday, we will carry the responsibility of your trust as we rebuild our country. But whether you voted Labour or not, in fact, especially if you did not, I say to you directly: My government will serve you.”

The election result is the most distorted in history after Labour won nearly two thirds of seats with just a third of the popular vote.

With almost all seats counted, Labour has won 411 constituencies – 63.7 per cent of the seats available – with a vote share of just 33.9 per cent.

The 29.9 point gap between the popular vote and seat share makes this the most skewed result ever, far outpacing the previous 22 point gap recorded in 2001 under Tony Blair.

Labour secured just over 700,000 more votes than Mr Corbyn in 2019, one percentage point more, but managed to pick up more than 200 additional seats.

Will Hazell and Meike Eijsberg look at the data

Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader, has vowed to “redouble” efforts to get his party into power north of the border in two years’ time after wiping out almost a decade of SNP dominance of Scotland’s Westminster seats.

Speaking to the media in Glasgow, Mr Sarwar said: “Today we stop the chaos, we turn the page and we start the hard work of change, and the people you see round about me today, these new Scottish Labour MPs – and aren’t there so many of them – aren’t going to Westminster to sit on the opposition benches to shout, to protest and ultimately come back with nothing.”

He said his party had ended “14 years of Tory chaos, but there have been 17 years of SNP failure and incompetence too… so today we also redouble our efforts so we together can deliver change in 2026 with a Scottish Labour government, too”.

Jeremy Hunt and Tom Tugendhat have emerged as potential leadership candidates as the Conservatives’ post-election infighting began.

Rishi Sunak resigned as party leader this morning after leaving Downing Street for the last time.

Sir Brandon Lewis, the former Conservative chairman said on Friday morning that he expected MPs to make their choice by the end of July, with the party membership giving the final verdict “in the next few months”.

Bookmaker William Hill said the odds on Mr Tugendhat and Mr Hunt, the outgoing security minister and chancellor, had significantly shortened overnight.

Daniel Martin, our Deputy Political Editor, has the story