The United Kingdom General Election took place on July 4, 2024. The Labour Party won the election by a large margin after many years. The Conservative Party suffered a significant defeat. According to the published results, the Labour Party won 412 seats, securing a majority in parliament and achieving the necessary majority to form a government on its own. The Conservative Party, on the other hand, lost 251 seats and was left with 121 seats. Among the traditional parties, the Liberal Democrats won 63 seats, the Reform Party won 4 seats, and the Greens won 3 seats.[1] In a political atmosphere where the far right is on the rise in Europe, the UK election results have become open to debate.
The political vacuum that emerged after the United Kingdom’s departure from the EU has led to constant changes in governments and the emergence of government crises. Since the Brexit decision, there have been a total of 5 prime ministers. This situation has not only affected the political environment but also caused economic instability. Rising inflation and unemployment have plunged the United Kingdom into a crisis, and from time to time, citizens have taken to the streets to protest the government.
The Conservative Party, which has been in power since 2010, is the party that built and implemented the Brexit policy, and as such, it has ultimately been responsible for the political and economic crises experienced in the United Kingdom. The Labour Party, on the other hand, has pursued a more inclusive and unifying policy during this period, trying to fill the political vacuum created during the Brexit process. Indeed, by running its election campaign in this direction, it achieved a resounding victory. The Labour Party’s strong campaign, particularly in the areas of healthcare, the economy, and social justice, has had a significant impact on the election results.
Another factor influencing the election results was the increase in vote share and the number of seats won by the Liberal Democrats. Additionally, the far-right Reform Party, led by Nigel Farage, received 14.3% of the vote, causing the Conservative Party to lose votes. The new voter ID system, which requires photo identification, is also said to have impacted the election results. There have been discussions about the negative effect of this new system on voter turnout. Indeed, the voter turnout was limited to 59.5%. However, attributing the decline of the Conservative Party and the rise of the Labour Party solely to this would not be accurate.
If we are to interpret it this way, it should be said that the Conservative Party failed to attract its voters to the polls. Explaining the loss of 121 seats compared to the 2019 elections with the new voter ID system or the low voter turnout does not seem very plausible. The policies pursued by the Conservative Party since Brexit have not only provoked reactions among opposition voters but have also caused dissatisfaction among its own supporters. This is clearly reflected in both the voter turnout and the election results.
On the other hand, while the Labour Party increased its votes nationwide, it lost votes in the Bradford West area, where Muslim communities reside. The reason for this was the Labour Party’s stance on Gaza. Labour Party leader Keir Starmer faced criticism from Muslims after giving an interview stating that Israel was justified in cutting off Gaza’s electricity and water following Hamas’ attacks on October 7. Therefore, Labour Party’s approach to Palestine led to a loss of votes in Bradford West. Independent candidate Shockat Adam, who centered his campaign on Gaza, won the elections in Leicester East, another area with a majority Muslim community. Labour Party also lost 29% of its vote share in Leicester East.[2]
Following the defeat in the election results, Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has resigned from the party leadership. Additionally, former Prime Minister Liz Truss and many other prominent figures of the Conservative Party did not secure seats in Parliament.
These results not only indicate significant changes in UK politics but also pave the way for developments that will shape the country’s future political and social structure. The victory of the Labour Party is seen as a harbinger of a period where more inclusive and reform-focused policies will come to the forefront.
[1] Carlotta Dotto, “2024 general elections in graphics”, CNN, https://edition.cnn.com/2024/07/04/uk/uk-election-results-tracker-map-2024-intl/index.html, (Access Date: 05.07.2024).
[2] “İngiltere seçim sonuçları: İşçi Partisi 14 yıllık Muhafazakar Parti iktidarını sona erdirdi”, Euronews, https://tr.euronews.com/2024/07/04/ingiltere-genel-secimlerinde-isci-partisi-acik-ara-onde-cikis-anketleri, (Access Date: 05.07.2024).
