NEWLY elected Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria waved as they arrived at No10 Downing Street today.
The Labour leader was cheered on by staff inside his new official London residence after making his first address to the nation.
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His arrival into Downing Street was hailed earlier today after King Charles formally installed him as Britain’s 58th Prime Minister.
Sir Keir and Victoria were given a glorious welcome after returning from the Palace, where they had met with His Majesty, the Queen’s principal private secretary Sir Clive Alderton, and Charles’s equerry Royal Navy Commander William Thornton.
He vowed to “fight every day” and “rebuild Britain” as he delivered his first speech in front of No. 10.
It comes as Sir Keir is formally naming his Cabinet as the top team meet in No10 for the first time.
Firebrand Angela Rayner has been appointed Deputy PM and Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
And Rachel Reeves makes history today as Britain’s first female Chancellor.
The coveted role of Foreign Secretary will be held by David Lammy, while Yvette Cooper as Home Secretary faces the tough task of stopping small boats.
Meanwhile, the nation’s security will heavily depend on John Healey as Defence Secretary.
Other cabinet roles include:
Earlier Sir Keir promised to “fight every day” and “rebuild Britain” as he delivered his first speech in front of No. 10.
In sun-soaked Downing Street, the Labour chief vowed that “my government will serve you”.
After a historic election night:
Making an appeal to those who did not vote for his party yesterday, he said: “Whether you voted Labour or not, in fact, especially if you did not, I say to you directly: my government will serve you.”
Sir Keir acknowledged changing a country is not “like flicking a switch” and that will “take a while”.
But he went on to say: “I have no doubt that the work of change begins immediately. I have no doubt that we will rebuild Britain with wealth created in every community.”
The new Prime Minister also invited the country to join him in his mission.
And he pledged to bring an end to “the era of noisy performance”.
To rapturous applause, Sir Keir said: “We will show that we’ve changed the Labour Party, returned it to service, and that is how we will govern.
“With respect and humility, I invite you all to join this government of service in the mission of national renewal.
“Country first, party second. Our work is urgent and we begin it today.”
Britain’s new PM added: “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, recognized 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.”
Sir Keir said his work is “urgent” and vowed “to begin it today”.
The incoming PM must mull over which Labour MPs to include in his Cabinet.
It came as Rishi Sunak made an emotional statement from Downing Street, where he thanked his “beautiful daughters” for the sacrifices they made while he governed the country.
Tune into our election results special on The Sun’s YouTube Channel
The ex-PM will stay on as leader of the opposition until “the formal arrangements for selecting my successor are in place”.
With a glimmer in his eye, Mr Sunak said: “I would like to say first and foremost, I am sorry.
“I have given this job my all.
“But you have sent a clear signal that the government of the United Kingdom must change.
“And yours is the only judgement that matters.”
“I have heard your anger, your disappointment, and I take responsibility for this loss.”
The ex-PM hailed “just how unremarkable it is that two generations after my grandparents came here with little I could become prime minister”.
He described the beauty in being able to watch his young daughters “light Divali candles on the steps in Downing Street.”
Turning to his successor, Mr Sunak said: “Whilst he has been my political opponent, Sir Keir Starmer will shortly become our prime minister.
“In this job, his successes will be all our successes, and I wish him and his family well.
“Whatever our disagreements in this campaign, he is a decent, public spirited man who I respect.”
Mr Sunak then travelled to Buckingham Palace, where the King formally accepted his resignation.
Follow our live blog below for the latest news and updates…
Five MPs who put Gaza at the heart of their campaigns have shocked Labour to cause huge upsets.
Among them was the unexpected loss of the Shadow Paymaster General Jonathan Ashworth in Leicester East, while ex-Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn held on to Islington North.
Ukraine’s President Zelensky has congratulated Sir Keir Starmer on becoming the UK’s 58th prime minister.
He said: “Ukraine and the United Kingdom have been and will continue to be reliable allies through thick and thin.
“We will continue to defend and advance our common values of life, freedom, and a rules-based international order.
“I wish the incoming government every success both in domestic affairs and in solidifying the UK’s leadership on the world stage.
“I look forward to working closely together on strengthening the Ukraine-UK partnership and restoring international peace and security.”
The former US President Donald Trump has congratulated his friend Nigel Farage on taking a seat in Clacton, and even dropped the Reform party.
The Republican nominee for the White House said on his Truth Social platform: “Congratulations to Nigel Farage on his big WIN of a Parliament Seat Amid Reform UK Election Success.
“Nigel is a man who truly loves his Country! DJT”
The former US President Donald Trump has congratulated his friend Nigel Farage on taking a seat in Clacton, and even dropped the Reform party.
The Republican nominee for the White House said on his Truth Social platform: “Congratulations to Nigel Farage on his big WIN of a Parliament Seat Amid Reform UK Election Success.
“Nigel is a man who truly loves his Country! DJT”
Standing outside 10 Downing Street, Mr Sunak said: “I would like to say first and foremost, I am sorry.
“I have given this job my all.
“But you have sent a clear signal that the government of the United Kingdom must change.
“And yours is the only judgement that matters.”
“I have heard your anger, your disappointment, and I take responsibility for this loss.”
The ex-PM hailed “just how unremarkable it is that two generations after my grandparents came here with little I could become prime minister”.
Keir and Victoria Starmer met during their work as solicitors.
In an interview with Piers Morgan he said:”I was doing a case in court and it all depended on whether the documents were accurate.
“I [asked my colleagues] who actually drew up these documents, they said a woman called Victoria, so I said let’s get her on the line.”
Victoria hung up on him during the call and was heard mumbling: “Who the f*** does he think he is?”
He then asked her out on a date to a pub in Camden.
And a few years later in 2007, the pair married.
Victoria Starmer, also known as Lady Victoria Starmer, is a former solicitor turned NHS occupational health worker and the wife of British politician Keir Starmer.
Despite her husband’s prominent political career, she plans to continue her work with the NHS, if he should become Prime Minister.
A commitment Keir Starmer has confirmed, stating, “She wants to and she loves it.”
The pair both reportedly met in the early 2000s, before they later tied the knot in 2007.
She made her first appearance as the then-new Labour leader’s wife when the pair were filmed clapping for the NHS in 2020, outside their Camden home in North London.
Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner has just arrived in Downing Street.
Rayner is set to be named deputy prime minister in Sir Keir Starmer’s government.
Labour’s firebrand deputy leader is known for her tough talk and left-wing politics.
She grew up on a Stockport council estate in abject poverty – once recalling how her mum fed her dog food because she could not read the label on the tin.
Angela – or Angie as she is known by her friends – left school without any qualifications and was pregnant at 16.
After her son Ryan was born she started work as a carer, then becoming a trade union rep for Unison before becoming an MP for Ashton-under-Lyne in 2015.
Sir Keir Starmer is the first knight of the realm to become prime minister for more than 60 years.
Old-school Tory Sir Alec Douglas-Home was the last premier who entered office with a knighthood in 1963.
Keir was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the 2014 New Year Honours for “services to law and criminal justice”.
He won the gong for his work as head of the Crown Prosecution Service and Director of Public Prosecutions.
Throughout the late Queen’s reign, all of her prime ministers from Sir Winston Churchill up until Sir Tony Blair were given knighthoods in the Order of the Garter.
The only exception was Conservative Harold Macmillan, who declined the offer.
In a few short moments, Sir Keir Starmer will become Prime Minister as King Charles invites him to form the first Labour government in 14 years.
Sir Keir Starmer has arrived at Buckingham Palace, where he is about to be asked to form a government by King Charles.
Sir Keir Starmer has arrived at Buckingham Palace, where he is about to be asked to form a government by King Charles.
Larry the Cat – about to get another new tenant inside No.10 – looks pretty chilled out about the election result.
By Sophia Sleigh, Political Correspondent
THE battle to be the next Tory Party leader started long before Rishi Sunak resigned.
Some jostling candidates have secretly been wooing backers for weeks.
Now we know who has survived the bloodbath, we can guess who is in with the best chance of becoming Leader of the Opposition.
With big beasts Penny Mordaunt and Grant Shapps knocked out, there are six obvious candidates.
Other more junior MPs might consider throwing their hat in the ring when the starting gun is fired.
Kemi Badenoch, former Business Secretary
Darling of the right-wing Kemi Badenoch is a hit with the Tory grass roots.
She previously left the door open to running as leader, saying: “We will talk about leadership things after an election.”
A true blue Brexiteer Ms Badenoch has been outspoken on transgender issues.
She is seen as a frontrunner by many and previously ran for leader after the fall of Boris Johnson.
James Cleverly, former Home Secretary
A recent story claimed the Essex MP does not intend to stand in the Tory leadership race.
His wife Susie has just survived several rounds of intense cancer treatment.
However, he is popular with other MPs and experienced having held two of the great offices of state – Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary.
The Essex MP told Sky News last night: “What might happen in the future I’ll leave that for the near future.”
Leaning more to the centrist side of the Tory Party he might be seen as a unity candidate to bring together warring factions.
Dame Priti Patel, former Home Secretary
Witham’s MP has long been loved by the Tory membership.
Eurosceptic Dame Priti was a leading figure in the Vote Leave campaign.
And is seen as a hardliner on immigration having signed off on the Tories flagship Rwanda deportation scheme.
She kept her powder dry throughout Rishi Sunak’s premiership, but plenty of her allies want her to run.
Suella Braverman, former Home Secretary
It will be no surprise if Suella Braverman throws her hat in the ring to be leader.
She was openly critical of Rishi Sunak’s premiership and declared two days before the election that the fight was over.
Mr Sunak sacked her over an article that accused the Metropolitan Police of bias in policing protests.
And she has annoyed some of her colleagues by saying she would welcome Nigel Farage into the Conservative Party.
She told the Times: “There’s not much difference really between him and many of the policies that we stand for.”
Robert Jenrick, former Immigration Minister
Since he left government Robert Jenrick has been making the case for a harder line on immigration.
Some of his colleagues think this points to serious leadership ambitions.
The MP for Newark resigned as a minister last December claiming draft legislation designed to revive the Rwanda deportation policy did “not go far enough”.
He was previously seen as something a moderate – meaning he might just have the broader appeal needed to unite the Tory Party.
Jeremy Hunt, former Chancellor of the Exchequer
Tory big beast Jeremy Hunt ran for leader twice – in 2019 and 2022.
When he’s been questioned recently about future leadership ambitions he has remained reluctant.
But he will easily be one of the most experienced former Cabinet ministers to survive the cull.
He will certainly appeal to the lefty One Nation side of the party after he was brought in to steady the economy after Liz Truss.
But it might not be enough to bring the right wing on board who are seriously concerned about how Reform UK has eaten into their vote.
By Sophia Sleigh, Political Correspondent
THE battle to be the next Tory Party leader started long before Rishi Sunak resigned.
Some jostling candidates have secretly been wooing backers for weeks.
Now we know who has survived the bloodbath, we can guess who is in with the best chance of becoming Leader of the Opposition.
With big beasts Penny Mordaunt and Grant Shapps knocked out, there are seven obvious candidates.
Other more junior MPs might consider throwing their hat in the ring when the starting gun is fired.
Kemi Badenoch, former Business Secretary
Darling of the right-wing Kemi Badenoch is a hit with the Tory grass roots.
She previously left the door open to running as leader, saying: “We will talk about leadership things after an election.”
A true blue Brexiteer Ms Badenoch has been outspoken on transgender issues.
She is seen as a frontrunner by many and previously ran for leader after the fall of Boris Johnson.
James Cleverly, former Home Secretary
A recent story claimed the Essex MP does not intend to stand in the Tory leadership race.
His wife Susie has just survived several rounds of intense cancer treatment.
However, he is popular with other MPs and experienced having held two of the great offices of state – Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary.
The Essex MP told Sky News last night: “What might happen in the future I’ll leave that for the near future.”
Leaning more to the centrist side of the Tory Party he might be seen as a unity candidate to bring together warring factions.
Dame Priti Patel, former Home Secretary
Witham’s MP has long been loved by the Tory membership.
Eurosceptic Dame Priti was a leading figure in the Vote Leave campaign.
And is seen as a hardliner on immigration having signed off on the Tories flagship Rwanda deportation scheme.
She kept her powder dry throughout Rishi Sunak’s premiership, but plenty of her allies want her to run.
Suella Braverman, former Home Secretary
It will be no surprise if Suella Braverman throws her hat in the ring to be leader.
She was openly critical of Rishi Sunak’s premiership and declared two days before the election that the fight was over.
Mr Sunak sacked her over an article that accused the Metropolitan Police of bias in policing protests.
And she has annoyed some of her colleagues by saying she would welcome Nigel Farage into the Conservative Party.
She told the Times: “There’s not much difference really between him and many of the policies that we stand for.”
Robert Jenrick, former Immigration Minister
Since he left government Robert Jenrick has been making the case for a harder line on immigration.
Some of his colleagues think this points to serious leadership ambitions.
The MP for Newark resigned as a minister last December claiming draft legislation designed to revive the Rwanda deportation policy did “not go far enough”.
He was previously seen as something a moderate – meaning he might just have the broader appeal needed to unite the Tory Party.
Jeremy Hunt, former Chancellor of the Exchequer
Tory big beast Jeremy Hunt ran for leader twice – in 2019 and 2022.
When he’s been questioned recently about future leadership ambitions he has remained reluctant.
But he will easily be one of the most experienced former Cabinet ministers to survive the cull.
He will certainly appeal to the lefty One Nation side of the party after he was brought in to steady the economy after Liz Truss.
But it might not be enough to bring the right wing on board who are seriously concerned about how Reform UK has eaten into their vote.
Tom Tugendhat, former Security Minister
Former British Army officer Tom Tugendhat is popular with the lefty One Nation side of the Tory Party.
He previously ran in the race to replace Boris Johnson in the summer of 2022.
And bookies say the odds on the Tonbridge MP have significantly shortened overnight.
He might have broader appeal too having served as an officer in the Territorial Army, both in Iraq and Afghanistan, in several front line operations.
The Sun columnist and TV star says.: “Very dignified & gracious exit by Rishi Sunak, a good man who gave it his best but inherited an impossible hospital pass from his train-wreck predecessors Boris/Truss.
“Things might have been very different for the Tories if he’d been PM from 2019.”
The Sun columnist and TV star says.: “Very dignified & gracious exit by Rishi Sunak, a good man who gave it his best but inherited an impossible hospital pass from his train-wreck predecessors Boris/Truss.
“Things might have been very different for the Tories if he’d been PM from 2019.”
Although Rishi Sunak was driven in the front gates of Buckingham Palace, he will exit through the back to allow Sir Keir Starmer to follow through.
When he leaves, he’ll be the Prime Minister.
If you’ve not had enough of betting-related stories, then here’s one… nobody has publicly declared they will run yet – but it would seem there’s cash going down.
Betfair Exchange – Next Conservative Leader
Kemi Badenoch 2/1
Tom Tugendhat 9/2
Priti Patel 7/1
Robert Jenrick 17/2
James Cleverly 10/1
Jeremy Hunt 11/1
Suella Braverman 13/2
Nigel Farage 15/1
Rishi Sunak has officially resigned as Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister (for another 10 minutes or so) has arrived to meet King Charles, where he will officially tender his resignation.
It will just be those two in the traditionally intimate meeting.
PM: “I will shortly be saying His Majesty the King to offer my resignation as prime minister to the country. I would like to say first and foremost, I am sorry.
I have given this job my all.
But you have sent a clear signal that the government of the United Kingdom must change. And yours is the only judgement that matters. I have heard your anger, your disappointment, and I take responsibility for this loss.”
After a well-received concession speech, could he now launch a bid on the Tory leadership again?
