Five things that made July 4 unforgettable in UK's political history

Britain was ready for a change in Westminster, and opinion polls and surveys said as much in recent months.

However, what the July 4 ballots delivered perhaps had more surprises in store than anyone expected.

By Thursday evening, the United Kingdom had witnessed one of its most significant political shifts in history as the Labour Party consigned the Conservative Party’s 14-year reign to history in one of the most comprehensive election victories in the country.

With many politicians experiencing historic firsts in their lifetimes in this election, today appears to be the beginning of changes within the House of Commons.

The forthcoming parliamentary term will see Westminster welcoming numerous new faces, marking a broader transformation in the country’s political landscape.

Here are five reasons why July 4 marked a historic election.

1- Tories' biggest defeat

Following a now bitterly resentful Brexit era and a “quitter” prime minister who could only serve six months, the unelected Rishi Sunak became the final straw in the Conservative Party's long and retrogressive path.

British voters sent a clear message to the Tories at the ballot box by ending their 14-year-old rule.

The Conservative Party suffered its largest-ever loss in history by conceding over 250 seats, reducing its representation in the House of Commons to just 119 members.

Sunak conceded defeat in clear terms, saying that voters had delivered a “sobering verdict".

“This is a difficult day, but I leave this job honoured to have been prime minister of the best country in the world,” he said outside the official residence at the iconic address 12 Downing Street.

His party now holds only 23.7 percent of all seats in parliament, a loss of over 19 percent since the last election.

The closest comparable defeat for the Tories was in the 1906 general election, called a Liberal landslide when they lost 246 seats. This was considered the biggest defeat in their history until Thursday when it set a new record.

2- Great comeback of Labour

As Sunak’s government struggled to restore stability to UK politics over the last few years, the Labour Party, the main opposition, had much to gain.

And they seized every opportunity.

By gaining at least 211 seats, Labour now holds 409 seats in the 650-member Parliament, far exceeding the minimum requirement of half the seats needed to form a government.

Labour leader Keir Starmer officially became the country’s next prime minister after visiting King Charles III to seek approval to form the new government.

In his speech following the election results, Starmer pledged that his government would always put "country first, party second".

"We have to return politics to public service," he added.

Seen as steering the party towards the political middle ground from a more far-left stance, he will be the first leader from the centre-left party to win a national election since Tony Blair.

On the other hand, he has inherited significant challenges: a struggling economy post-pandemic, overwhelmed public services, diplomatic instability, and more.

Labour knows it’s a difficult inheritance.

3- Entry of an old friend: Nigel Farage

One of the unexpected results of the elections was Nigel Farage's first-ever entry into Parliament.

Leading Reform UK, he has been elected as an MP for the first time since his first unsuccessful bid in 1994. He ran for the UK Parliament seven times without success, yesterday’s election marked his eighth attempt.

As one of the most prominent –and polarising for some– political figures in the country for decades, Farage’s unexpected decision to enter the election a month ago, despite initially ruling out candidacy, galvanised support for Reform UK nationwide.

He was elected to represent Clacton in Essex by a margin of over 8,000 votes.

In his speech following the announcement, Farage declared it as "the first step of something that is going to stun all of you."

He has been a prominent figure in UK politics for nearly three decades, championing Euroscepticism, as he co-founded the UK Independence Party (UKIP) and played an active role in advocating for Brexit.

Later, he led the Brexit Party, which subsequently transformed into Reform UK.

4- Conservatives are swept out of Wales

In Wales, which is divided into thirty-two constituencies in the UK Parliament, the Conservatives faced a complete wipeout, losing all 14 of their seats.

This marks the first time since 2001 that the party has had no representation from Wales.

In contrast, the Labour Party secured 27 out of the 32 Welsh Commons seats, achieving a significant though divided victory for them in the region.

Craig Williams, a former aide to Rishi Sunak, was among the Welsh representatives ousted from his role after party support was withdrawn following his admission on the election date.

Additionally, David TC Davies made history as the first Welsh Secretary to lose his seat while in office.

The Welsh Secretary of State directs the UK Government's overall strategy in Wales. Once Prime Minister Starmer reshuffles his cabinet, he will appoint the new Secretary of State.

5- Highest number of women MPs

In this election, the highest number of women MPs have won seats in the UK Parliament, representing over 40 percent of the total constituents in the country.

Compared to the previous term, where there were 226 women representatives, this number has now increased to 262 women who will be sitting in the House of Commons for the new term.

The majority, totaling 190, belong to the Labour Party.

The Liberal Democrats and the Labour Party have the highest proportion of female MPs, with at least 45 percent of their seats occupied by women.