‘Keir we go’: what the UK papers say as Labour wins landslide in general election

After a night filled with a few surprises, there was a comfortable uniformity across the front pages on Friday, as the UK prepared to welcome in a Labour government after 14 years of Tory rule.

“Labour landslide,” is the Guardian’s headline, summing up a night which saw Keir Starmer’s party secure a historic victory. An image of Starmer with his wife, Victoria, appeared above the paper’s main story which notes that support for the Tories has collapsed across the UK.

The Sun – which endorsed Labour on the eve of the election – has “Winner by smiles” after Starmer’s victory was clear. Earlier, it had “Britain sees red” in its earlier edition, noting that the exit poll gave Labour a “huge 170-seat majority”.

“Keir we go” is the assessment of the Mirror, saying that Starmer and Labour received a “thumping landslide victory”.

The Telegraph’s early edition calls it the “worst result for Tories in modern history with Sunak expected to resign”. Its headline, “Labour landslide”, appears above a story which quotes Labour peer Peter Mandelson as saying “an electoral meteorite has struck”.

The i also leads with “Labour landslide” and reports that Reform may win more MPs than expected, having split the rightwing vote.

The Express says “Tory big beasts lose seats in brutal election bloodbath”, above an image of Penny Mordaunt, noting that Grant Shapps and Alex Chalk also lost their seats.

The Times says Starmer will have a “Blair-style majority”, with its headline reading “Labour surges towards landslide election win”.

The Mail’s early edition says “Labour set for historic landslide”.

“Labour sweeps to power in landslide”, is the Financial Times front page, which also points to the surge in support for Nigel Farage’s Reform party. It quotes Labour MP David Lammy as saying “if we do not deliver for working people, we will be out and nationalists will be on our tails. That’s the lesson we have seen around the world.”

Finally the Star, displays a blank notepad on its front page, under the headline “Fourteen years in charge: those good bits in full …”