Country First, Party Second: 5 Key Things UK PM Starmer Said In His Maiden Speech

London (UK): Labour leer Keir Starmer officially became Prime Minister of United Kingdom as Labour Party registered a landslide victory in UK elections on Friday. Starmer received blessing of King Charles III to form a government in a ceremony kwn as "kissing of hands." 

What Keir Starmer Said in His Maiden Speech 

1. Country First, Party Second

newly elected Prime Minister also said that his priority will be to govern country first and party later. 

“Wher you voted Labour or t, in fact, especially if you did t I say to you directly. My government will serve you. Politics can be a force for good. We will show that. We’ve changed Labour party, returned it to service, and that is how we will govern. Country first, party second,” he said. 

“We can make a start today with simple of kwledge that public service is a privilege, and that your government should treat every single person in this country, with respect,” Starmer said. 

2. Country needs bigger reset 

   “It is surely clear to everyone that our country needs a bigger reset. A rediscovery of who we are.” He furr went on to say that one of great strengths of United Kingdom has always been “ability to navigate a way to calmer waters”. 

“And yet this depends upon politicians, particularly those who stand for stability and moderation as I do, recognising when we must change course. For too long w we turned a blind eye as millions slid into greater insecurity," UK Prime Minister said. 

3. Our Government will be unburdened by Doctrine

"From w on you have a government unburdened by doctrine, guided only by determination to serve your interest,” Starmer said. 

4.  Rishi Sunak brought dedication and hard work to his leership

Keir Starmer also paid tribute to Rishi Sunak and said that “extra effort” he faced as “ first British Asian prime minister”.

“We also recognise dedication and hard work he brought to his leership,” he said.

5. Change Begins Immediately 

Starmer said, “You have given us a clear mandate, and we will use it to deliver change. To restore service and respect to politics. End era of isy performance. Tre more lightly on your lives. And unite our country.”

“Four nations standing toger again. Facing down, as we have so often in our past, challenges of an insecure world. Committed to a calm and patient rebuilding. So with respect, and humility I invite you all to join this government of service, in mission of national renewal. Our work is urgent and we begin it today,” he furr mentioned. 

Earlier on Friday, Rishi Sunak offered his resignation as Prime Minister to King.

Voters in U.K. cast ir ballots Thursday in a national election to choose 650 lawmakers who will sit in Parliament for next five years.

After more than a dece in power under five different prime ministers, Sunak's Conservatives suffered a major defeat.

Keir Starmer arrived at Downing Street for first time as new Prime Minister of United Kingdom. He arrived in a car with his wife, Victoria Starmer, shortly after meeting with King Charles III at Buckingham Palace. Downing Street was lined with Labour Party supporters, who cheered his arrival, waving small Union Jack flags. Before going to Downing Street, Starmer arrived at Buckingham Palace for a meeting with king to accept request of King Charles III to form a government after his party's landslide victory.

In a ceremony kwn as "kissing of hands," Starmer officially became U.K. prime minister. 

Starmer's arrival at palace is part of choreography of changing governments that harkens back to a time when king exercised supreme power and chose his preeminent minister – prime minister – to run his government.

modern-day constitutional monarchy echoes that trition, with king officially offering post to party that holds a majority in House of Commons.

Sunak officially left post after tendering his resignation to King Charles III in his final audience with monarch. Sunak was driven to palace in a chauffeur-driven ministerial car, and left in a private vehicle.

"This is a difficult day, but I leave this job hored to have been prime minister of best country in world," Sunak said in his final speech outside 10 Downing Street.

Sunak wished his victorious rival, Labour leer Keir Starmer, all best: "Whatever our differences in this campaign, he is a decent, public-spirited man who I respect."

Sunak conceded defeat earlier in morning as vote counts confirmed exit polls that h projected a landslide defeat for his Conservatives to Labour Party.

Meanwhile, China has said that  it hopes to work with UK 'on basis of mutual respect'

"Developing a stable and mutually beneficial China-UK relationship is in line with fundamental interests of two peoples, and is conducive to both sides responding to global challenges toger and promoting world peace and development," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Friday.

"We hope to work with UK to move China-UK relations forward on right track on basis of mutual respect and win-win cooperation," Mao said at a daily press briefing.

China-UK relations have been roiled in last few years by blocks on Chinese investment in Britain over national security concerns, tensions in South China Sea and China's crackdown on democracy and free speech in former British colony of Hong Kong in violation of its pledge to keep such institutions intact until 2047.

Former Prime Minister Liz Truss loses her seat

Liz Truss, former prime minister whose premiership lasted just 49 days, has lost her lawmaker's seat in election.

Truss lost her rfolk South West seat to Labour by just several hundred votes. Truss quit as prime minister in 2022 after a tumultuous and historically brief term marred by ecomic policies that roiled financial markets.

Several or high-profile and senior Conservative lawmakers also lost ir seats, including House of Commons leer Penny Mordaunt, education secretary Gillian Keegan and former business secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg.

Australia, New Zealand leers congratulate Starmer

leers of Australia and New Zealand have sent ir congratulations to Labour Party leer Keir Starmer on his election victory. Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a social media post on X that he looked forward "to working constructively" with new British government. New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon also took to X to congratulate Starmer, writing: “New Zealand and UK are great friends and can do so much more toger.” Luxon ded his thanks to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak "for your service to your nation and friendship to New Zealand."

Larry cat waiting patiently outside Downing Street

As UK was waiting for a new prime minister, one cat was also patiently waiting to be let into . 10 Downing Street.

Larry, Britain's mouse-catcher in chief and long time resident at leer's official residence, was pictured waiting outside famous black door early Friday.

tabby cat was t bored by large crowd of press photographers waiting outside ahe of change of power expected later Friday. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is expected to go to King Charles III to tender his resignation, and soon after Labour leer Keir Starmer will meet monarch to be officially appointed.

Larry was recruited by former Prime Minister David Cameron to tackle rats seen scuttling close to British leer's official residence, and entered Downing Street in February 2011.

With more than half of all 650 seats counted, Labour looks set to secure one of its biggest ever majorities in House of Commons.

Sunak, who held onto his lawmaker's seat in rth Yorkshire, told those gared: “ Labour party has won this general election." He said he took "responsibility" for his party's loss, and that he h called Labour leer Keir Starmer to congratulate him on his victory.

He ded that he will he to London in coming hours, and promised that transition to Labour will be orderly.

Scottish National Party has four seats, while Green Party has 1 seat.

Labour suffers in some areas over its Gaza stance

While Labour Party appears heed for a landslide U.K. election victory, it seems clear that it has suffered in areas with big Muslim communities over its stance on conflict in Gaza. A prominent Labour member, Jonathan Ashworth, lost his Leicester South seat in central England to an independent candidate who h Gaza at heart of his campaign. Ashworth, who was expected to be appointed to Cabinet, lost around 20,000 votes when compared to election of 2019.

Even Labour leer Keir Starmer saw his majority in his Holborn and St. Pancras seat in rth London reduced, with more than 7,000 votes going to a pro-Gaza candidate.

After Oct 7 attacks on Israel by Hamas militants, Starmer took a strongly pro-Israel stance and maintained it even as death toll in Gaza swelled. Many Muslims who h been tritional Labour voters were aghast and have clearly turned to or candidates.

Former Labour leer Corbyn holds onto his London seat 

Jeremy Corbyn, who led Labour Party into general elections of 2017 and 2019, has held onto his seat in rth London — but this time as an independent. Corbyn, who h been suspended from party following a row over antisemitism, decided to stand as an independent candidate in Islington rth constituency he has represented since 1983. Corbyn won seat by nearly 7,000 votes over his Labour opponent. Corbyn h won seat by more than 26,000 votes at last election.

Defense Secretary Grant Shapps loses his seat

U.K. Defense Secretary Grant Shapps, long a key figure in Conservative Party, has lost his seat in general election. Shapps lost his contest for Welwyn Hatfield, a seat rth of London, by nearly 4,000 votes, or by 8 percent points to his Labour Party opponent Andrew Lewin.

Shapps, 55, is most senior Cabinet minister to lose ir seat so far. He was widely considered to be government's most trusted media performers over many years and h been tipped as a potential Conservative leership candidate to replace Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

U.K. has 67 million residents and 46 million were registered to vote in last general election in 2019. Turut at that time was 67 per cent.

In local elections in May when Conservatives suffered heavy losses in council seats and mayoral offices, turut averd 30 per cent, Institute for Government, an independent think tank, reported.

Conservatives expressed optimism that reports of high turut Thursday could help m overcome polls that have suggested a widespre Labour victory.

" younger generation are far more interested in change,'' she said. "So, I think whatever happens in Henley, in country, re will be a big shift. But whoever gets in, y've got a heck of a job ahe of m. It's t going to be easy."

Keir Starmer was chosen as leer to replace Corbyn and he has rebuilt it and moved it closer to center. Pollsters and politicians expect Labour to win largest number of seats. Starmer, h warned his supporters t to take election for granted despite polls and politicians predicting a landslide, voted in his London neighborhood while Sunak, who tried to bring stability to a Conservative Party in chaos when he was picked as leer in October 2022, spent past six weeks trying to persue voters across U.K. to give his party ar term after 14 years in power.

Pollsters have given Labour a double-digit le since before campaign began six weeks ago.