‘Now we rebuild Britain’: Triumphant Keir Starmer delivers first speech as Prime Minister as he vows to deliver change
5 July 2024, 12:59 | Updated: 5 July 2024, 13:17
Sir Keir Starmer has delivered a triumphant first speech as Prime Minister of the UK as he vowed to put the ‘country first, party second’ under the new Labour government.
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Arriving hand in hand with his wife Victoria, the new Prime Minister beamed as he greeted supporters who had been waiting for their arrival at Downing Street.
As he took to the stand to address the nation, Sir Keir vowed to put the “country first, party second” and start work to deliver change “immediately”.
Sir Keir said: “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 single person in this country with respect."
He also made a direct appeal to those who did not vote Labour in Thursday's election, as he added: “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. Politics can be a force for good, we will show that. We’ve changed the Labour party.”
"The work of change begins immediately. We will rebuild Britain".
The Prime Minister also said he would “fight every day” to prove his government is one that the country can believe in again.
He said: "If I asked you now whether you believe that Britain will be better for your children, I know too many of you would say no.
"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 interest, to defy quietly those who have written our country off.”
He continued "And we will use it to deliver change, to restore service and respect for 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."
However, he added that the changing the country would not be “like flicking a switch”, adding that change would “take a while”.
Before his speech, Sir Keir visited Buckingham Palace with his wife Victoria to meet with King Charles where he was formally asked to form a government and was officially appointed as the UK's prime minister.
It comes after Sir Keir declared "we did it" as Labour swept to power following the General Election, as senior Tories including Liz Truss and Jacob Rees-Mogg lost their seats.
Speaking in central London, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: "We did it. You campaigned for it, you fought for it, you voted for it, and now it has arrived: change begins now.
"It feels good, I have to be honest. Four and a half years of work changing the party, this is is what it is for: a changed Labour Party ready to serve our country, ready to restore Britain to the service of working people.
"And across our country, people will be waking up to the news, relief that a weight has been lifted, a burden finally removed from the shoulders of this great nation.
"And now we can look forward, walk into the morning, the sunlight of hope, pale at first but getting stronger through the day, shining once again, on a country with the opportunity after 14 years to get its future back."
Sir Keir continued: "There's nothing preordained in politics,"
"Election wins don't fall from the sky - they are hard won, and hard fought for.
"This one could only be won by a changed Labour Party."
Sir Keir's speech came shortly after Rishi Sunak conceded defeat in Richmond, Yorkshire, where he won his seat with a 13,000-seat majority.
"The Labour Party has won this general election, and I have called Sir Keir Starmer to congratulate him on his victory," Mr Sunak said.
"I will now head down to London, where I will say more about tonight's result, before I leave the job as prime minister, to which I have given my all."
He added: "Today, power will change hands in a peaceful and orderly manner with goodwill on all sides,
"The British people have delivered a sobering verdict tonight.. and I take responsibility for the loss.
"To the many good, hardworking Conservative candidates who lost tonight... I am sorry."
The latest results indicate Labour has won more than 400, with the Tories slumping to around around 120, with only two seats left to declare.
Several senior Tories lost their seats in the election, among them former Prime Minister Liz Truss, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps, Education Secretary Gillian Keegan and Leader of the House of Commons Penny Mordaunt.
Veterans Minister Johnny Mercer, Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer, Transport Secretary Mark Harper, Chief Whip Simon Hart, Northern Ireland Minister Steve Baker, Justice Secretary Alex Chalk, former Environment Secretary Therese Coffey and former Brexit Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg also lost their seats.
Former prime minister Liz Truss said the Tories had not "delivered sufficiently" on voters' priorities including curbing immigration.
Ms Truss did not give a speech after losing her Norfolk South West seat to Labour.
But she told the BBC: "I think the issue we faced as Conservatives is we haven't delivered sufficiently on the policies people want.
"And that means keeping taxes low, but also particularly on reducing immigration. And I think that's been a crucial issue here in South West Norfolk, that was the number one issue that people raised on the doorstep with me."
Asked whether she accepted some responsibility for that, Ms Truss said: "I agree. I was part of that. That's absolutely true.
"But during our 14 years in power, unfortunately we did not do enough to take on the legacy we'd been left, in particular things like the Human Rights Act that made it very difficult for us to deport illegal immigrants. And that is one of the reasons I think we've ended up in the situation we are now."
She said "I've got a lot to think about" when asked whether she wanted to stay in Tory politics.
Read More: Penny Mordaunt and Johnny Mercer become latest Tory casualties in General Election bloodbath
Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg congratulated Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer on "what seems to be a historic victory".
He lost to Labour's Dan Norris - who he previously unseated during an election in 2010 - in the new North East Somerset and Hanham constituency.
Speaking at the University of Bath after the result was declared, Sir Jacob said: "May I begin by giving my warmest congratulations to Dan Norris, who has been a servant of North East Somerset or Wansdyke as it then was before and I am sure will be a devoted constituency MP in the future.
"And congratulate Sir Keir Starmer who has led his party to what seems to be a historic victory. And this is the great virtue of our democracy, so I congratulate both of them."
Sir Jacob then thanked his agent, campaign director and constituency staff who had "worked so hard over the last 14 years".
He said: "And one final thought, from Caractacus Potts, and that is from the ashes of disaster grow the roses of success. So thank you very much everybody, and good night."
Dan Norris, the new MP for North East Somerset and Hanham constituency, said he had "got Mogg-xit done" after defeating Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg.
He said: "We've got Mogg-xit done.
"It's a great honour to serve the people of Keynsham, North East Somerset, Hanham and surrounding areas. This is my home. I'm deeply proud of all our communities and want our part of the world to be the best it can be.
"Keir Starmer changed the Labour Party and he will now change the country for the better. This is a victory for integrity: no more one more rule for them, another for everyone else.
"It's a victory for stability: never forget the economic chaos for which the British people are still paying the price. Now let's get to work."
