New British Prime Minister Keir Starmer yesterday pledged action to fix the country, not just words, but warned the voters who handed him a massive electoral majority and those who voted against him, that improvements would take time.
Standing outside his new office and residence at No. 10 Downing Street, Starmer acknowledged the scale of the challenges that faced him after his party’s landslide victory in a parliamentary election ended 14 years of often tumultuous Conservative government.
He was greeted by huge cheers and in turn took time before making his speech to shake hands with and hug aides and well-wishers who lined Downing Street.
Photo: Bloomberg
Standing behind a lectern, he said he understood that many Britons were disillusioned with politics after years of scandal and chaos under the Conservatives, who were roundly rejected in Thursday’s election, suffering a historic loss.
“This lack of trust can only be healed by actions, not words. I know that,” he said.
“Whether you voted Labour or not, in fact, especially if you did not, I say to you directly: My government will serve you. Politics can be a force for good. We will show that,” he said.
The center-left Labour won a massive majority in the 650-seat parliament, prompting Rishi Sunak’s resignation yesterday morning. Starmer then went to meet King Charles and was formally named prime minister.
“My government will fight every day until you believe again. From now on, you have a government unburdened by doctrine, guided only by the determination to serve your interest,” he said, underlining something he had repeated during the campaign — that he would put country first, party second.
The election result has upended British politics. Labour won about 410 seats, an increase of 210, while the Conservatives lost about 250 lawmakers, including a record number of senior ministers and former prime minister Liz Truss.
Sunak’s Conservatives suffered the worst performance in the party’s long history as voters punished them for a cost of living crisis, failing public services and a series of scandals.
“To the country I would like to say first and foremost I am sorry,” Sunak said in a final speech outside Downing Street, adding that he would stay as Conservative leader until the party was ready to appoint his replacement.
Well-wishes poured in, congratulating Starmer on Labour’s victory, including from French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
In Taipei, President William Lai (賴清德) wrote on X: “Warmest congratulations to @Keir_Starmer, the UK’s next prime minister! Grateful for the UK’s longtime support. The #Taiwan-#UK partnership ranges across trade, tech, as well as culture, & we see a bright future ahead as we work together for innovation & global prosperity.”
Additional reporting by staff writer
Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) yesterday said that the Chinese Communist Party was planning and implementing “major” reforms, ahead of a political conclave that is expected to put economic recovery high on the agenda. Chinese policymakers have struggled to reignite growth since late 2022, when restrictions put in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic were lifted. The world’s second-largest economy is beset by a debt crisis in the property sector, persistently low consumption and high unemployment among young people. Policymakers “are planning and implementing major measures to further deepen reform in a comprehensive manner,” Xi said in a speech at the Great Hall
CIVIL DEFENSE: More reservists in alternative service would help establish a sound civil defense system for use in wartime and during natural disasters, Kuma Academy’s CEO said While a total of 120,000 reservists are expected to be called up for alternative reserve drills this year, compared with the 6,505 drilled last year, the number has been revised to 58,000 due to a postponed training date, Deputy Minster of the Interior Ma Shih-yuan (馬士元) said. In principle, the ministry still aims to call up 120,000 reservists for alternative reserve drills next year, he said, but the actual number would not be decided later until after this year’s evaluation. The increase follows a Legislative Yuan request that the Ministry of the Interior address low recruitment rates, which it made while reviewing
WARNING: China has stepped up harassment of foreign vessels after its new regulation took effect last month, an official said, citing an incident in the Diaoyutai Islands The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) yesterday linked China’s seizure of a Taiwanese fishing vessel illegally operating in its territorial waters to Beijing’s new regulation authorizing the China Coast Guard to seize boats in waters it claims. Chinese officials boarded and then seized a Taiwanese fishing vessel operating near China’s coast close to Kinmen County late on Tuesday and took it to a Chinese port, the CGA said. The Penghu-registered squid fishing vessel Da Jin Man No. 88 (大進滿88) was boarded and seized by China Coast Guard east-northeast of Liaoluo Bay (料羅灣), 17.5 nautical miles (32.4km) from Taiwan’s restricted waters off Kinmen,
DETERRENCE: Along with US$500 million in military aid and up to US$2 billion in loans and loan guarantees, the bill would allocate US$400 million to countering PRC influence The US House of Representatives on Friday approved an appropriations bill for fiscal year 2025 that includes US$500 million in military aid for Taiwan. The legislation, which authorizes funding for the US Department of State, US foreign operations and related programs for next year, passed 212-200 in the Republican-led House. The bill stipulates that the US would provide no less than US$500 million in foreign military financing for Taiwan to enhance deterrence across the Taiwan Strait, and offer Taipei up to US$2 billion in loans and loan guarantees for the same purpose. The funding would be made available under the US’ Foreign Military