General Election 2024 recap: Penny Mordaunt loses Portsmouth North in Labour gain, Conservatives retain seats

Rishi Sunak is expected to make a statement at around 10am this morning before heading to Buckingham Palace to see the King.

After this, Keir Starmer will go to Buckingham Palace as the start of the process to form a new government

Good morning. I will shortly be seeing 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.

To all the Conservative candidates and campaigners who work tirelessly but without success, I am sorry that we could not deliver what your efforts deserved. It pains me to think how many good colleagues who contributed so much to their communities and our country, will now no longer sit in the House of Commons.

I thank them for their hard work and their service. Following this result, I will step down as party leader. Not immediately, but once the formal arrangements for selecting my successor are in place. It is important that after 14 years in government, the Conservative party rebuilds, but also, it takes up its crucial role in opposition professionally and effectively.

When I first stood here as your Prime Minister, I told you the most important task I had was to return stability to our economy. Inflation is back to target, mortgage rates are falling, and growth has returned.

We have enhanced our standing in the world, rebuilding relations with allies, leading global efforts to support Ukraine and becoming the home of new generation of transformative technologies.

And our United Kingdom is stronger too with the Windsor framework, devolution restored in Northern Ireland and our union strengthened.

I am proud of those achievements.

I believe this country is safer, stronger and more secure than it was twenty months ago, and it is more prosperous, fairer and resilient than it was in 2010.

Whilst he has been my political opponent, Sir Keir Starmer will shortly become our Prime Minister.

In this job, his successes will be all of our successes and I wish him and his family well.

Whatever our disagreements in this campaign, he is decent public-spirited man who I respect.

He and his family deserve the very best of our understanding as they make the huge transition to their new lives behind this door, and as he grapples with this most demanding of jobs in this increasingly unstable world.

I would like to thank my colleagues, my Cabinet, the Civil Service, especially here in Downing Street. The team at Chequers, my staff, CCHQ but most all I would like to express my gratitude to my wife Akshata and our beautiful daughters. I can never thank them enough for the sacrifices they have made, so that I might serve our country.

One of the most remarkable things about Britain is how unremarkable it is that two generations after my grandparents came here with little, I could become Prime Minister and that I could watch my two young daughters light Diwali candles on the steps of Downing Street.

We must hold true to that idea of who we are.

That vison of kindness, decency and tolerance that has always been the British way.

This is a difficult day at the end of a number of difficult days, but I leave this job honoured to have been your Prime Minister.

This is the best country in the world, and it is thanks entirely to you, the British people, the true source of all our achievements, our strengths and our greatness.

Thank you.  

Newly elected Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria Starmer have arrived at his official London residence at No 10 Downing Street for the first time after the Labour party won a landslide victory

Just two seats left to declare across the UK - and then we will be done, but that will NOT be today.

That's because there will be a recount in the Highlands on Saturday morning in the constituency of Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire.

The New Prime Minister has spoken outside Downing Street

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer got straight to work assembling his Cabinet after promising to rebuild trust in politics and restore hope to the nation after a landslide Labour victory in the General Election.

Rachel Reeves was confirmed as Britain’s first woman chancellor, Angela Rayner is Sir Keir’s Deputy Prime Minister and retained the levelling up, housing and communities brief, and Yvette Cooper is Home Secretary.

David Lammy was appointed Foreign Secretary, putting to bed some speculation over whether he would get the post he shadowed in opposition.

The first batch of appointments contained no surprises as Pat McFadden, who played a central role in shaping Labour’s election campaign, was named Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, John Healey Defence Secretary, Shabana Mahmood Justice Secretary, Wes Streeting Health Secretary, Bridget Phillipson Education Secretary and Ed Miliband Energy Secretary.

That’s all folks as we sign off after an eventful election day. Thank you for joining us - and take a look back at the highlights of the day, both locally and nationally!