Our coverage comes to an end, please follow the next steps with Sir Keir Starmer going to see King Charles at this link: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/world/uk-election-results-sir-keir-starmer-to-meet-king-charles-iii-after-landslide-labour-victory/news-story/e635ab2f3794ffeff37eb4b4c6c50b2d
UK election 2024 live updates: Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer to become next PM
Anthony Albanese has congratulated Keir Starmer who declared "change begins now" now as Labour has beaten the Tories in the UK general election. It comes as former PM Liz Truss lost her seat. Follow updates.
The Conservatives have conceded defeat to Labour who has managed a landslide victory, with Sir Keir Starmer set to become the UK's next PM.
Mr Sunak said the British people have delivered a '“sobering verdict”.
He will return to London where he will say more about the result before he gives up his job as PM. Then he will return home to Yorkshire.
It's unclear how long he will remain as Tory leader, with speculation he will resign.
After Mr Sunak called Sir Keir, the Labour leader took to the stage and told voters: “We did it! You campaigned for it, you fought for it, you voted for it, and now it has arrived. Change begins now. And it feels good, I have to be honest. four and a half years of wok changing the party, this is what it is for, a changed labour party, ready to serve our country, ready to restore Britain to the service of working people.”
He said the British people should “enjoy this moment”. “Nobody can say you haven’t waited patiently,” he said.
He said people should hold on to the win “because this is what unity is made from.”
"Election victories don’t fall from the sky. They’re hard won and hard fought for, and this one could only be won by a changed Labour Party.
Sir Keir, who has held onto his Holborn and St Pancras seat, said he promises to serve every person in the constituency, whether they voted for him or not. He will speak out for people, “have your back and fight your corner every single day”.
"People here and around the country have spoken and they’re ready for change, to the politics of performance, a return to politics as public service," he said.
"The change begins right here, because this is your democracy, your community and your future.
"You have voted. It is now time for us to deliver."
King Charles has cleared two spots in his schedule to farewell the expected outgoing Prime Minister before an hour later welcoming incoming new PM Sir Keir Starmer. Mr Sunak is expected to be joined by his wife and children for the "departure audience" with the King, which is scheduled for 8pm AEST, before leaving Buckingham Palace.
Labour has reached 400 seats. The Conservatives have 107 seats.
The Liberal Democrats have won in 66 constituencies while Reform UK have 14.9% of the vote, translating to success in four seats.
The SNP has four seats and Plaid Cymru is on seven.
The Green Party has four seats.
Reform UK has made incredible ground in the UK general election, and could pick up as many as 13 seats, while party leader Nigel Farage was tipped to become Prime Minister of Great Britain in 2029.
Our coverage is anchored by Julie Cross, Charles Miranda, Andrew Koubaridis, Justin Vallejo and David Mills. Commentary will come from Sky News Political Reporter and AM Agenda host Laura Jayes, with analysis from Dr Patrick Leslie, a researcher at the School of Politics and International Relations at ANU.
Watch the results live on the live stream and follow the updates in our blog below.
Updates
Thankyou for joining us.
Labour passes 400 seats
After nine hours of counting, Labour has now claimed 406 seats, while the Conservatives have just 112.
Such a tally for Labour is not a record-breaker – the party won 418 in the Tony Blair landslide of 1997 – but it's more than the Conservatives have ever won at a general election.
The best ever performance by the Tories was in 1983 under Margaret Thatcher, when it claimed 397 seats in the 650-seat house of Commons.
Former PM Liz Truss defeated
Former prime minister Liz Truss has lost the safe seat of South West Norfolk in one of the most shocking moments of the UK election.
She lost to Labour by 600 votes.
The humiliating defeat caps a terrible night for the Conservatives, which has seen a number of bigwigs lose their seats.
Ms Truss presided over the Tories for just 49 days in 2022, after her economic policies saw mortgage repayments spike.
Labour win big in Wales and Scotland
Despite a Labour landslide, the party has not made major gains in increasing its share of the vote in England, Sky UK commentators said.
Former Conservative Scottish leader Ruth Davidson said where Labour has made “massive gains” is in Scotland.
Labour has had a clean sweep in Glasgow. The Scottish National Party said it has been “swept aside by the Starmer tsunami”.
The Tories have also been wiped out in Wales, where it held 14 seats going into the election.
The biggest Tory scalp there was Welsh Secretary David Davies, who lost his seat in Monmouthshire to Labour.
Tory seat held since '92 lost to Labour
Another senior Conservative Tory Liam Fox has gone.
He lost his seat of Somerset North, which he has held since 1992, by 600 votes to Labour.
Mr Fox was formerly the Secretary of State for International Trade from 2016 to 2019 and Secretary of State for Defence from 2010 to 2011.
Labour claims victory in historically big Conservative seat
Labour has claimed victory in a new seat with a big Conservative history.
Labour candidate Peter Prinsley has edged out the Conservative candidate Will Tanner in the seat of Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket.
It's a new seat, thanks to an electoral boundary change prior to the 2024 election, but it's substantially similar to the previous seat called Bury St Edmunds, which has been solely held by the Conservatives since 1885.
One other record to fall his election: nine incumbent members of Cabinet have lost their seats so far.
Tories lose record number of cabinet ministers
Eight Cabinet ministers have lost their seats in the General Election, beating the previous record of seven defeats in 1997.
Members of Rishi Sunak's Cabinet and high-profile Tories who have lost their seats are:
- Grant Shapps (defence Secretary)
- Penny Mordaunt (House of Commons Leader)
- Alex Chalk (Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor)
- Gillian Keegan (Education Secretary)
- Lucy Frazer (Culture Secretary)
- Johnny Mercer (Veterans’ Minister)
- Michelle Donelan (Science Secretary)
- Simon Hart (Chief Whip)
Albo congratulates new UK PM
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he is looking forward to working constructively with his "friend" Sir Keir Starmer after Labour's election victory.
"Congratulations to my friend and new UK Prime Minister (Sir Keir) on his resounding election victory – I look forward to working constructively with the incoming (Labour) Government," he posted to X.
'Let's get to it, my friend': Trudeau congratulates Sir Keir
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, one of the first world leaders to react, has said he hopes to build a "progressive, fair future" with Sir Keir Starmer as he congratulated the Labour leader on his General Election victory.
"Congratulations, (Sir Keir), on a historic U.K. election victory," Mr Trudeau posted to X.
"Lots of work ahead to build a more progressive, fair future for people on both sides of the Atlantic. Let's get to it, my friend."
Mogg another Conservative casualty
Prominent Tory Jacob Rees Mogg is yet another Conservative casualty in what has turned out to be a disastrous election for the party.
He lost to Labour by more than 5000 votes.
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