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UK general election as it happened: Sunak concedes victory with Labour set for landslide majority; Leading Conservatives fall

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Thank you for joining us for our coverage of the UK general election as Labour return to power for the first time in nearly 15 years with a huge majority victory.

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And that is where we will leave our coverage on a momentous day for UK politics as Labour emphatically return to power.

As of 4.15pm AEST Labour have 410 seats, the Tories 117, Liberal Democrats 70, SNP eight, Reform four and other parties 33. There are 12 seats still to call.

Outgoing prime minister Rishi Sunak will later today go to Buckingham Palace to offer his resignation to the king. Then Keir Starmer will arrive for his first audience with Charles.

Traditionally, the new prime minister then leaves the palace in a prime ministerial car and returns to Downing Street to make a statement, receiving the applause of staff members as he enters the famous black door of No. 10 and begins the business of government.

Lowest turnout in 20 year

The BBC has predicted that voter turnout will be its lowest since 2001, and second lowest since 1885.

Turnout is expected to be 60 per cent, just above the 59 per cent that turned out when Tony Blair was returned as PM 13 years ago.

Remember, voting is not mandatory in the UK.In terms of share of the vote, the BBC has predicted the Conservatives will finish with just 24 per cent, which would be their worst performance ever.

The BBC forecasts Labour will finish on 35 per cent and Reform 15 per cent.

Former PM Liz Truss loses seat

Perhaps one last incredible moment of drama on what has been a remarkable day in British politics.

Liz Truss, the former UK prime minister who resigned after just 44 days after a disastrous economic meltdown, lost by just over 600 votes to Labour's Terry Jermy in South West Norfolk.

A reminder - she won the same seat in 2019 with a majority of 26,195.

State of play

Over in the UK people are just waking up to a new government.

Polls closed just over eight hours ago and there are still 62 seats to call.

Labour are closing on the 400-seat mark, while it has also been a good night for the Liberal Democrats and Reform.

But it has been a disaster for the Conservatives and, in Scotland, the SNP.

A number of high-profile Tories have lost their seats, including Penny Mordaunt, Grant Shapps and Jacob Rees-Mogg, though Jeremy Hunt has narrowly managed to hang on.

Outgoing prime minister Rishi Sunak is expected to go to see King Charles III at Buckingham Palace later today to officially resign. After that, Keir Starmer is expected to be driven to the palace to get the king's permission to form a government.

'Change begins now'

More now from Starmer's victory speech in London.

"We did it ... Change begins now.

"Hope is shining once again on a country with the opportunity after 14 years to get its future back.

A mandate like this comes with a great responsibility," Starmer acknowledged, saying that the fight to regain people's trust "is the battle that defines our age."

Speaking as drawn broke in London, he said Labour would offer "the sunlight of hope, pale at first but getting stronger though the day."

Labour party reaches majority government

And that's it. The BBC results tracker ticks over the 326 mark and Labour will be back in power for the first time in nearly 15 years.

How big that majority will be is yet to be seen, but at this stage it appears as though Labour are heading for a win in excess of 400 seats.

One thing is for sure: Keir Starmer will be the next prime minister of the UK.

© Nine Digital Pty Ltd 2024

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