UK holds general election
The UK will hold its first general election today in nearly five years.
Incumbent Prime Minister (PM) Rishi Sunak’s Conservative Party is looking to extend its 14-year control of 10 Downing Street while Keir Starmer is aiming to form the first post-Brexit Labour government.
Polls since 2022 have consistently shown Labour leading on a two-party preference. The party that has been stirring strong attention in the past month, however, has been former-Brexiteer Nigel Farage’s Reform Party, which has rapidly risen in the polls to third place, only trailing the Conservatives by 3% according to July 1st polls; it is predicted that Farage will win one seat in Essex.
Expect this General Election to bring Labour to power in the 650-seat House of Commons. Starmer, along with political pollsters such as IPSOS have predicted a 1997-like landslide for Labour. PM Sunak’s party will likely be in opposition, though with far lower number of seats than Labour holds now. This will be because of fringe parties in the center and center-right absorbing traditionally Conservative voters. From this Labour victory will come a reversal in Conservative policies such as the Rwanda refugee deal. Starmer has also made clear that a new industrial policy will focus on wealth creation without raising taxes. Conversely, both parties have pledged to improve relations with EU members, post-Brexit.