LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 5: Labour leader Keir Starmer speaks after winning the constituency of Holborn and St Pancras during the UK general election on July 5, 2024 in London, England. Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer holds Holborn and St Pancras with 18884 votes. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)
Labour leader Keir Starmer speaks after winning the constituency of Holborn and St Pancras (Picture: getty)

Britain is hours away from hailing Sir Keir Starmer as its new prime minister after winning his Holborn and St Pancras constituency.

This is the latest turn in the UK General Election, one step closer to a government lead by the Labour Party, after exit polls predicted a 170 majority.

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The leader looked victorious as the result was announced in the early hours of Friday morning -18,884 votes for him.

He said, ‘you have voted, it is now time for us to deliver’ in his speech after being re-elected to Parliament.

Starmer pledged to ‘end the politics of performance’, saying: ‘People here and around the country have spoken and they’re ready for change – to end the politics of performance and return to politics as public service.

Sir Keir Starmer looked victorious as the count was announced
He looked victorious as the count was announced

‘The change begins right here because this is your democracy, your community and your future.’

It has been a thorny road to power for the politician – losing and gaining support on the way to the top of the food chain in Westminster.

This shows as he has only won half of the votes than in 2019 – 27,763 compared to 18,884 today.

Building a legal career, prosecuting terrorists for the Crown, he was first elected at the 2015 General Election.

He took to power in Labour after Jeremy Corbyn stepped down after the party’s defeat in the polls in 2019.

Since then, Starmer has worked to transform Labour from a leftist institution to a centre-left party.

His success was acknowledged as he walked in the offices of Camden Council to hear the result.

A crowd gathered to hear the result in Holborn and St Pancras.

Count staff and party activists lined three floors of balconies overlooking the stage where the result was announced.

The exit poll suggests Labour is on course for 410 seats, with the Tories reduced to 131.

Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats are forecast to win 61 seats, Reform UK on 13 and the Green Party just two.

This is a developing news story, more to follow soon… Check back shortly for further updates.

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